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I.T and E Commerce of Hospitality Industry - The WritePass Journal : The WritePass Journal - 0 views

  • There is a great demand for information from customers and hospitality service provider so hotel industry stared adopting computer based IT facilities to enhance its operational efficiency, control and reduce costs, and improve service quality
  • A new Internet-based procurement system which is considered flexible and user friendly has been implemented by IHG group. 
  • Problems with Micros 1)       When the systems crashes down then the checks has to be manually posted which is like duplication of work and time, there are even discrepancies sometimes and in that the company loses the revenue. 2)      If there is a crash, it needs to be done by the help of a main server computer. But if the problem prevails there is a need to contact the vendor for his service. 3)      The micros system sometimes get frozen which affect the overall performance of the server and the team.
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  • One of the key elements of this research involves the “user friendliness” of the system.
  • Technologies used at Marriott Hotel Company website Point Of Sale-Micros Property Management System-Opera Central Reservation System-Marsha SAP for accounting and Payroll Fire Panel Door locks CCTV Blue Cube -Time Clock (Employee attendance) Cetral Reservation System
  • Professionals want the latest technology at their fingertips, from fax machines to Internet services
  • The new system has enabled the IHG group for excellent quality control.  In this respect, IHG claims that they are able to obtain high quality products at low costs via the Internet.
  • Marriott’s early commitment to high-performance processing, scalable storage and business continuity made the transition to an integrated reservations/Web solution error-free.
  • Now is the time for hospitality companies to take advantage of the opportunities available in creating a new value added customized online travel shopping experience for customers.
  • This travel bot will create a custom experience that suits the particular customer needs offering a range of services including hotel rooms, restaurant tables, airline seats, and rental cars.
  • However, there is still much room for improvement in speed, reliability, and adaptation to new technologies
  • If data is managed properly, the technology can assist hoteliers and restaurateurs in projecting the lifetime value of guests, creating increased loyalty, resulting in an increase in market share. 
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    This article helps us to better understand the information systems being utilized, why they are important and what difficulties they bring about. In the Hospitality Industry, customer service is put at the top of the list of must haves. With customer service comes knowing information about your customer and without Information Technology services put in place, these expectations will never be met. Having a computer based IT is crucial because it allows the employees to work more proficiently which in turn creates a better experience for the guest. Multiple hospitality leaders have been applying fully Internet based technological systems within their organizations. IHG group has implemented an easy to use system so it is simple for every position within the hotel. For a company like IHG with over 500 hotels, it was imperative they eliminated the manual system to provide better quality control. Because of this system they can get better quality products at lower costs. Although this new system is much more user friendly, the overall cost involved is still not confirmed but this system is still predicted to have positive impacts long term. For example at Marriott Hotels, they use a company website, POS Micros, Property Management System and Central reservation system just to name a few. On top of stellar service and quick/ easy information submissions, guests are looking to have the best technology at their disposal to use. Things like computers with full internet access, printers and fax machines to make sure they can still be functional while displaced. An advanced system called MARSHA is being used as a reservation system and stores the rewards system information for Marriot guests. Micros-Opera is a popular property based system provider and has become common within the hotel industry. Vendors usually use this since it gives them the ability to connect to other vendor's applications. MICROS 9700 HMS is the most popularly used point of sale system. There are some
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Dominican Republic safety: Travel precautions to take now - 1 views

  • more than 2 million Americans visit every year, accounting for about one-third of the tourism to the Caribbean island — the sudden and mysterious circumstances have spooked some travelers.
  • He said it's a good idea for travelers who are going abroad, especially to the Dominican Republic, to purchase a travel insurance plan that offers medical assistance, and if the worst happens, evacuation coverage.
  • he State Department also recommends signing up for its Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which is a free service for U.S. citizens and nationals that registers your trip with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
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  • ake two copies of your passport. Give one copy to someone you trust, and keep another on you — separate from your real passport — in case of theft,
  • his includes examining the windows and doors to make sure the locks work and that nothing has been tampered with, she said.
  • hat check should also include the minibar.
  • f you have elite status on an airline, it doesn't hurt to call and see if there's anything they can do to
  • waive the cancellation fee.
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    The article highlights the recent security concerns regarding travel to the Dominican Republic. The article gives key safety tips to take, not just for the current level 2 alert but for any international travel as an appropriate security plan of long distance traveling.
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View of Role of Information Technology in Promoting Tourism: Study In Indian Context - 0 views

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    This article goes into detail on how information technology has grown to a critical level for the success of business operations. Tourism has grown in India to become the largest service industry for the country, providing 6.23% to the national GDP, and providing 8.78% of the total employment. It is estimate that over 5 million annual foreign tourists arrive alongside 562 million domestic tourists. The implementation of this information technology provides a multitude of benefits including reducing costs, enhancing operation efficiency, and improving service quality and customer experience. To list some of these components; The railway, car rental, and bus/coach systems are all computerized and information regarding tourist/passenger transit data is now readily available. Airlines have fully implemented CRS (Computer Reservation System) to help generate higher rates of occupancy and boarding the scope of the market. Though these systems have helped improve the India's economic growth, the current structure of the tourism industry has shown that businesses in the accommodation sector lacked direct access to travelers and consumers. It's thanks to e-business that suppliers have found technological solutions (GDS's) to direct traffic properly. The Ministry of Tourism's Plan channels over half of their budget to the development of destinations, circuits, mega projects as well as rural tourism infrastructure projects. The travel and tourism industry has revolutionized the travel plans and strategies for India, and it's thanks to the embracing of newly developed and effective information technology that has turned operations to running on a new level of efficiency.
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Despegar, Latin America's top online travel agency, signs multi-year agreemen... - 0 views

  • , the leading technology provider to the global travel industry, today announced its renewed agreement with Despegar (NYSE: DESP), the leading online travel agency (OTA) in Latin America.
  • The multi-year contract extension ensures Despegar’s continued access to Sabre’s market-leading global dist
  • ribution system (GDS), propelling the OTA’s service to an estimated 140 million unique visitors.
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  • The OTA will also profit from the speed of results the Sabre GDS delivers across the distribution system’s vast breadth of content.
  • they reliably deliver technologies that are easy for us to adopt and easy for our customers to value.
  • Sabre Corporation is the leading technology provider to the global travel industry.
  • software, data, mobile and distribution solutions are used by hundreds of airlines and thousands of hotel properties to manage critical operations, including passenger and guest reservations, revenue management, flight, network and crew management.
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    One of the reasons why I felt this article was very insteresting is tha I have use "despegar before and I have also not used or decided not to use this travel agency because of the "not friendly" sfoftware or technology they had on their website. As a customer I feel this would give an amazing positive revenue to the company. This articles texplain how this GDS software called SABRE has sign a contract of extension with Despegar.com
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Ebusiness And Its Impact On Hospitality Industry Information Technology Essay - 0 views

  • It encompasses e-commerce, which relates to buying and selling, but also includes servicing customers (i.e. business to consumer) and collaborating with business partners (business to business).
  • This new virtual marketplace allows small companies competing with business giants by just having a better web presentation of their products/services
  • online customers can enjoy a wider choice of products or services, more competitive prices, and being able to buy their favourite items/services from the sellers located thousands miles away
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  • E-business is having a huge impact on the hospitality industry, an impact that looks set to continue. An increasing number of people are booking and viewing restaurants and hotel rooms online, and they are working with the smartest time-saving electronic systems.
  • Smaller travelling agencies, among others, are more interested in the application of Internet to gain certain competitive edges over their larger counterparts.
  • In the past, travel agents were used for not only travel plans but they also sold transports, tours and accommodation for suppliers. Travel agents were the most common source for booking hotel rooms and any other travel components.
  • The internet emerged and the World Wide Web was invented, linking the world into one global network. The emergence of the internet had a great impact on all businesses including the hospitality industry.
  • increased choice speed greater independence more information eg services, appearance, location, virtual room tours ability to compare prices increase in direct booking, less use of intermediaries
  • It has been reported that the online booking in the hospitality industry (including hotel/motel, airlines, travel packages, etc.) is increasing at a very rapid speed recently. An online hotel room booking has been increased by six times just during last four years (from 1999 to 2002) from $1.1 billion in 1999 to $6.3 billion in 2002. As a result, its percentage as of total annual bookings is increased over 400% - from about 2% in 1999 to 9% in 2002
  • technological barriers for business and customers e.g. slow connections, inadequate hardware, slow download times, staff resistance to change, lack of staff training, requirements for web maintenance inflexibility of business structure lack of business planning e.g. cash flow forecasting, marketing strategy poor website design security for payments (perceived and real)
  • Organisational issues e.g. business planning, staff development, recruiting new staff; customer education and awareness campaign; support issues e.g. government support, support for web design, dedicated technical support
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    The internet has allowed the Hospitality Industry to significantly grow, by bring their products , which is now easily accessible for customers.
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Impact of E-commerce on Travel and Tourism - 0 views

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    This article summarizes the evolution of technology in the hospitality industry over the years. They go into detail with SABRE which was created in the 1960s which was the first computerized reservation system. Being able to book online allows for many customers to be reached. For example, in 2007 nearly 40 million households book travel online and pending $86 billion on airline tickets, lodging, cars, intercity rail, cruises, and packages. These vast advancements in technology enables globalization of brand awareness. E-commerce encourages economic growth with accessibility, collaboration, automation, functionality, and flexibility.
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Connect with Gen Z travelers in a disruptive world | PhocusWire - 0 views

  • Technology delivers a world of travel options right to a traveler's fingertips. They go online to find inspiration on social media, choose the right vacation, compare deals, book trips and enhance their experience during their trip.
  • 61% of US 18–34-year-old travelers surveyed were more likely to stay loyal to a travel brand that has an easy-to-use website or mobile app.
  • Inclusive, curious and community-oriented, Gen Zers are growing in population and spending power. Understanding their expectations will be key to winning tomorrow.
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  • Gen Z is the future, and travel brands that start to organize around their behaviors now will win with tomorrow’s most valuable customers.
  • They are adapting quickly, testing, iterating and measuring. These brands embrace best practices that leading disruptor brands have successfully embraced to drive incredible growth.
  • Stay ahead of the customer landscape:
  • Explore mission-driven marketing:
  • Build a brand community:
  • Leverage machine learning:
  • Move toward better measurement:
  • Break through with creative:
  • Travel brands, from traditional airlines to online booking agencies, can make great progress by exploring leading disruptors’ best practices and applying the right ones for their businesses.
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    It's clear that travel companies need to meet customers where they are-on mobile and social platforms-with experiences that fit seamlessly into their lives. Gen Z is the future, and travel brands that start to organize around their behaviors now will win with tomorrow's most valuable customers.
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Southwest Expands Booking Access for Business Travelers - Skift - 1 views

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    Southwest has been historically known to almost exclusively book through direct bookings, aside from limited booking availability through Sabre. By mid-2020, Southwest Business is going to offer booking to travel managers through Amadeus, in order to encourage more business class travelers.
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Cybersecurity Tactics for a Hotel Industry that's Under Siege | News | Hospitality Maga... - 1 views

  • Credit card fraud and identity theft should remain high on the hotel and lodging industry’s radar.
  • n addition to airlines and banks, hotels maintain a rich database of personally identifiable and financial data on file.
  • POS systems are a weak security point for many networks because they are constantly in use — and aren’t always patched, updated or protected from vulnerabilities as frequently as required. As a result, they can be exploited for the credit card data held on the POS terminals.
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  • Reputational damage and revenue loss from a breach headline not only impact individual edge locations, but the corporate brand as well.
  • Hotels need a ‘toolbelt’ of various security technologies that can be used to prevent malicious attacks. A managed firewall is essential, blocking dangerous traffic from coming onto the network and preventing sensitive data from being exfiltrated, or sent, to the hackers.
  • One way to implement these advanced toolsets includes outsourcing to a managed security firm specializing in this type of service
  • If used correctly, hotels could see anomalies that could lead to breaches prior to any damage being done — allowing them to halt hackers in their tracks.
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    Hotels POS systems are at risk for customers. Hackers are using tactics like Phishing and ransomware. Hotels must take action and arm themselves with a "toolbelt" of security options to combat the hackers.
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    This article explores the issues with cyber security in the hotel industry. it is to be taken seriously because customer information is on the line and so is the company's reputation and revenue. Hotels must look into their POS systems because, according to the article, is a weak security point. However, it holds much of the consumer's information like credit card numbers, expiration dates, and etc. The POS system is vulnerable so the secuiry put in place to protect it must be updated. Personal details for hotel guests are stored in many different places in a hotel's many systems. This includes the restaurant, gift shops, billing, facilities, and etc. According to the article, hotels needs a "toolbelt" of various security technologies to prevent malicious attacks. The three mentioned in the article are File Integrity Monitoring, Unified Threat Management, and Security Information and Event Management. Please look into the article to read what each of these systems can do in regards to cyber secuity for the hospitality industry. A good way to implement these tools is to look into outsourcing a managing security firm that specializes in cyber security. This can help minimize and even diminish things that can cause breaches in systems. In my opinion, this article gives solutions to hotels in regards to cyber security. Sometimes installing a firewall or antivirus is simply not enough. A security firm that specializes in this area can be considered. It may be expensive depending on the business to do that, however, it will be even more expensive to have a tarnished reputation for not securing customer information and to deal with lawusuits.
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High tech and high class: How luxury hotels are embracing technology | Digital Trends - 0 views

  • The trend in luxury hotels across the globe is a simple touchscreenwith an easy-to-use graphic user interface that can control all your room’s amenities, such as lighting, air conditioning, TV, movies,and music. These systems also have the capability to handle communication with the front desk, housekeeping, concierge, and checkout.
  • Guests are greeted with a personalized welcome screen and a video from Krige explaining ICE, the Interactive Customer Experience.Once acquainted,you can control the room temperature or set lights at various levels from 100 percent to completely off. You can send messages to the front desk, request toothpaste from housekeeping, or ask the concierge for a restaurant reservation. Guests can arrange transportation or learn about the hotel, which just underwent a $450 million renovation. You can even check airlines and print boarding passes. A mobile ICE app in the works will be downloadable from the Plaza’s website, allowing you to do all these things before you even arrive.
  • “Hotels are using more technology to enable a higher level of service,”
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    I believe it is important for hotel brands to evolve with the people who are staying there. Nothing beats being at home; however, it is pretty awesome when you are staying away from home and do not feel as if you are missing out. This article covers just that, making a bold statement with their title; "High Tech and High Class: How Luxury Hotels are Embracing Technology". Modern hotels are on " a deeper level of connectivity than a simple iPod doc, or a reliable Internet connect". Many are using state of the art devices and software which allows their guests to control from the lighting in the room to even housekeeping. The article also talks about Shane Krige, General Manager of the Plaza in New York City. He purchased a few iPads for the hotel lobby for his guests to play with. The feedback led to the hotel putting an iPad in every room at the Plaza. The Star Hotel & Casino in Sydney Harbour now offers a Control4 systems which gives guests a touch screen control for the TV, lighting and temperature and even music. Even better than the touch screen control the suites all feature "a button labeled "Leaving Room" by the entry door that automatically places the suite in an energy-saving mode: With a single touch, it closes blinds, turns off lights and dials back air conditioners for energy savings. Should you forget to press this on your way out, after 30 minutes the system will sense there is no one and trigger the button automatically. Upon return your room will greet you by opening curtains, turning on the lights and displaying a welcome message". Greener might be more expensive; however, it pays for itself and saves the hotel money in the long run.
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SiteMinder brings GDS representation in-house as hotel customers more than triple in on... - 0 views

  • Almost 900 hotels located in the world's top destinations are poised to receive personalized GDS sales and marketing representation from the global hotel industry's leading cloud platform. SiteMinder announced its new service at the 49th GBTA Convention Sunday on the back of a year that has seen its GDS connectivity solution, 'GDS by SiteMinder', gain its own chain code and more than triple in hotel users.
  • Jason Lewis-Purcell, Vice President, GDS at SiteMinder, says, "There is a tendency to overlook global distribution systems in today's digital age, but the truth is they are still some of the highest performing sales and marketing channels for hotels. Over the past year, GDS by SiteMinder powered nearly 200,000 reservations worth over $60 million in hotel revenue, showing how effective global distribution systems are in bringing guests hotels wouldn't otherwise attract, especially from Monday to Friday when properties need business most."
  • "SiteMinder has always known the crucial role the GDS plays, but we wanted to bring the legacy system into the modern world. GDS by SiteMinder uniquely brings cloud-based technology together with legacy GDSs that are as relevant today as they were thirty years ago, to provide hotels an incomparable total distribution platform. It's now used by about sixty percent more hotels than our industry's most renowned soft brands."
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  • GDS by SiteMinder provides hotels a single point of entry to the world's major global distribution system providers – Sabre, Amadeus and Travelport – and travel agent network. In addition to sales and marketing representation, hotel users of the GDS connection receive free consortia advice, account management and local customer support.
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    Relatively speaking, GDS's have been around for a while now, with iterations stretching back a few decades now. SiteMinder has worked to integrate cloud technology into traditional GDS models to streamline distribution. They have had strong success, powering over 200,000 reservations in the past year, generating over $60 million in hotel revenue. Over 900 hotels are now poised to receive SiteMinder services, making them the industry leading GDS cloud platform. To date, SiteMinder is represented in the globe's most influential cities, including New York, Los Angeles, London, Honk Kong, Paris, Munich, and Sydney. GDS technology has come a long way from the early models that airlines used solely for in-house purposes. New GDS's such as SiteMinder are both a testament to adaptation and the appeal of cloud technology.
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Creating an Irresistible Mobile Travel Experience with Proximity Marketing - 1 views

  • Online travel agencies can harness proximity technology to enable travelers to book hotels, rental vehicles, tickets for trains, airlines, buses and theaters; and even dinner reservations.
  • In 2016, 51.8% of travelers booking trips online will do so via mobile devices
  • By 2019, mobile sales could represent 46 percent of digital travel sales
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  • Upon a tourist's entry into a particular zone or establishment, such as a hotel that the tourist has already booked, the OTA is able to send announcements and offers regarding restaurants, events and other attractions in the vicinity.
  • Online travel agencies can collect information such as the traveler’s age, marital status and number of children (if any), most visited places, preferences and travel behaviors to target travel services and deals.
  • n particular zone of a city, village or other tourist destination, a geofencing can be used to drive awareness and enable visitors to book local restaurants or hotels; buy tickets for attractions, museums, concerts or other events; or shop retail malls and outlets.
  • A beacon is a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) device that transmit signals normally up to 50 meters.
  • An OTA might use beacons to advertise deals on tickets. Guests in a hotel or resort can receive personalized offers, such as discounts with affiliated restaurants, nightclubs, retail stores and museums, through their mobile devices.
  • Proximity marketing affords flexibility and convenience for planning vacations or trips.
  • Now, travelers can explore on the go once they arrive and choices and arrangements can be made at the destination.
  • By using online data, mobile app data and location information, OTAs can provide personalized recommendations to consumers for booking additional services, enhance customer relationships with a sustainable brand loyalty and enhanced customer lifetime value (CLV).
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    In article it will display several examples of how the consumers are leaning towards online purchases and the popularity behind why people are catering to these functions.
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Travel Tech Execs Take Shine Off Cloud Computing by Highlighting Hidden Perils - Skift - 1 views

  • Moving travel company software to the cloud has proved tricky, some travel technology executives said this week in moments of candor. Absent strategic thinking, shifting systems from mainframe computers to public internet-based services from Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure can waste resources
  • he executive bluntness is a counterweight to recent industry hype about cloud services
  • The travel industry is behind the retail and financial sectors when it comes to tapping the maximum benefits of the cloud, which includes being able to make use of sophisticated services like machine learning techniques for data analysis, said Nicolas Nelson, chief information officer of Air France
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  • Advertising campaigns have promoted the cloud’s potential cost savings for companies as they switch from investing in, and maintaining, servers to buying the computing power as they need it. But they ignore some practical challenges. Travel executives have found that they must shift their services over to the cloud in stages, and the phased shift can lead to escalating cost
  • Some retailers, like Home Depot, have gone further by migrating their warehousing and operational data to the cloud, which lets them use analytical tools to more effectively manage their inventory and processes,” said Strong. “That’s a next wave opportunity for travel companies
  • Amadeus, for example, plans to move its applications to run on the public cloud across multiple regions
  • Cloud systems can be more elastic and flexible, said Rafael Achaerandio, head of Azure development advocacy and app innovation cloud sales at Microsoft. The cloud can let an airline or online travel agency deploy its applications around the world with the tap of a button, which was virtually impossible with its legacy data center
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    This article references the hidden costs of cloud computing. It advises how retail companies such as Home Depot have been successful in their transition to cloud computing however the hospitality industry falls behind. Businesses such as Expedia try to educate their engineers of the cost of cloud services and advises them to use it wisely. It appears to be that the hospitality industry still lags on the technology wave, as it continues to "remain a hybrid of newer and older technology".
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    This was an interesting read! I didn't realize that the data from servers had to be moved in shifts. So maybe it's not as cost effective as thought to be. Hopefully the travel industry makes progress in becoming more "cloud friendly" as it can be very beneficial.
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Predictions for Hospitality Tech in 2019 | Hospitality Technology - 1 views

  • Every new year presents us with an opportunity to start fresh and improve ourselves for the future. As we start to get our personal resolutions ready, we should also recognize the opportunity that 2019 presents us to find new ways to differentiate and improve our guest experience. Of course, one way to do this is to leverage technology that solves problems for not only your guests but for your teams as well.
  • Unleash The Data Floodgates Knowing your customer down to the smallest of details is essential to good customer service today. Data holds the key to unlocking these actionable details.
  • n other words, there’s no shortage of data that you can collect on your customers. From browsing history to customer service records, basic information forms, and surveys recording preferences, you can gather endless information to get to know and service your guests better.
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  • Trends tell us that a personalized experience isn’t enough anymore; guests today want a hyper-personalized guest experience. In order to provide one, hotels are going to have to think of new and innovative ways to collect data and then quickly and seamlessly use it to meet and exceed expectations. For example, Virgin Hotel Chicago adjusted its rewards program to be less of a rewards program and more of a preference program. In the program, appropriately called “The Know,” guests put in information about themselves in exchange for things like coupons to dine at the hotel’s restaurant. It gives them the chance to give dietary preferences, select what types of liquor they’d like in their mini bar, and what kind of cocktail they’d like waiting for them at check-in.
  • Smart Rooms & Self Service For The Win The “smart home” has left the bedroom and transitioned to the hotel room. Hotels of every shape and size are incorporating self-service capabilities that ‘smart’ technologies offer to meet the needs of their guests at every point of their stay.
  • Hotels like Hilton allow guests to check-in and set their room preferences -- from temperature to how dim or bright the lights should be -- before they arrive. By implementing self-service options, you help reduce wait times for guests trying to find information and request service.
  • Yotel is also embracing the digital revolution by allowing guests to check in via their airline-style kiosks. The kiosks, which are set up throughout the lobby, allow guests to avoid lines, select preferences, and set them up with their room quickly and easily. With studies showing that people estimate that they waste at least one hour a week waiting in lines, these self-service options not only alleviate waste times, but frustrations as well.
  • At the Godfrey Hotel in Boston, when you walk into a room, the television automatically syncs with your phone and loads your social media, Netflix, or Hulu account giving you easy access to all your favorite content. Meanwhile, in New York, the Renaissance is using its interactive digital concierge service to offer suggestions and information on restaurants and sights.
  • Real-time Communication Will Make Or Break You Of course, even with the introduction of new and exciting technologies that do some of the work for you, you still need to master the basics, such as communication. And today, this means real-time communication. Why, you ask? In December 2017, hotels on the Zingle platform received over 140,000 messages from guests. That’s roughly 4,500 messages a day that teams are fielding regarding everything from service needs, recommendations, complaints and general information inquiries. To handle this deluge of communication, savvy hotels leveraged 103,811 automated responses to answer some of the more common questions in a more efficient manner.
  • Prepare For A New Reality… That Includes Robots As time goes on, hotels are going to have to find ways to incorporate more immersive and interactive technology in order to provide better and more memorable experiences that differentiate themselves from their competitors. 2019 is poised to be a big year for virtual and augmented reality as hotels either find ways to incorporate it, or face the unhappy reality of losing guests.
  • From Hilton to Intercontinental, physical bots have joined their digital counterparts in entering the hospitality industry. However, hotel teams don’t need to panic about losing their jobs -- just yet. Nonetheless, they do provide real value for their ability to perform mundane, repeatable task that can free up staff to service guests elsewhere.
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    This article was written at the end of 2018 with discussion and predictions for Hospitality Technology in 2019. The majority of the new technology is centered around improving the guest experience with most of it related to the hotel industry. From self check-in kiosks like you see at the airport, to smart rooms in the hotel that sync with your phone and automatically show your netflix and other social media platforms on your tv.
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Are you ready to create and manage a green travel policy? | PhocusWire - 1 views

  • Without going into technical details, it seems widely accepted that aviation accounted for around 900 million tons of CO2 emission (CO2E) in 2018 equal to an estimated 2.4% of total global emissions (12% of total transportation-related CO2E), and this number is sadly forecast to triple to more than 2,700 million tons of CO2 by 2050.Despite the fact that airlines have become significantly more fuel efficient, we are experiencing a dramatic growth in total aviation emission as the number of planes flying more hours per day keeps growing much faster than the gains made in fuel efficiency.However, because most of the emission happens at high altitude during the actual flight, the “net emission impact” is considered by experts to be twice that number and then further increased due to the amount of energy that goes into production of aviation fuel.
  • Define your travel program targets for CO2E per day, month, quarter or year
  • Select travel services based on emission rather than price
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  • Simplify CO2E offset models
  • Carbon traveler program
  • Traveler behavior changes
  • Green airports
  • Avoidance of short‐haul travel
  • creating a basic model for calculating your CO2E in 2020 if you are a buyer and establishing some credible data points for your customers to use if you are a supplier.
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    The CO2E in travel industry is very high. Author provides serval ways for both buyer and supplier to design a green travel program. These solutions including personal travel plan, CO2E offset models, booking method, CO2E assign, green travel service, behavior changes, and airports designs.
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Hotel_ITSec.pdf - 0 views

shared by marble_bird on 15 Jul 20 - No Cached
  • During the past decade, information technology (IT) has significantly changed the way the hotel industry controls and manages operations. While many technologies have been utilized, some newer technologies have emerged in the literature and in practice, and many of them impact the hotel’s security.
  • Among the results, this study identified a gap between hoteliers’ understanding of IT budget adequacy and the adequacy of installed IT security systems.
  • Advancements in technology are increasing at a remarkable rate. As technology becomes more important, organizations that do not keep up with these advancements could lose business opportunities to other competitors that do
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  • The four leading technologies which have showed a high adoption rate from the industry and have received attention from academia are: self-service, wireless, green, and security technologies. The advantages of these technologies for hoteliers include enhanced customer services and operational efficiency (Doyle, 2007), decreased guest wait times, more efficient methods to settle bills (Singh & Kasavana, 2005), reduction of energy costs (Meeroff & Scarlatos, 2007), and protection of sensitive customer data and credit card numbers
  • In addition, exploring the influential factors of security system usage will provide greater depth of knowledge with respect to why some hotels have adopted more security systems than others.
  • there is still a lack of understanding of the nature of risk associated with inadequate IT security, especially among operators of hotels that do not have their own IT departments.
  • Self-service technologies are commonly defined as devices or applications which permit users to produce a service independent from the direct involvement of the service provider (Meuter, Ostrom, Roundtree, & Bitner, 2000). The use of self-service technologies in the hotel industry has grown considerably, especially in the areas of self check-in, in-room check-out, and foodservice kiosks
  • IT systems refer to general support systems such as mainframe computer, mid-range computer, and local area network.
  • Some of the most significant wireless technology applications involve the use of mobile handheld devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDA), tablet PCs, and cellular phones, or RFID (radio frequency identification). RFID utilizes computer chips and antennas, allowing the chips to wirelessly communicate with a receiver.
  • While the major usage of RFID in the hotel industry was for inventory control purposes, it also has the potential to be utilized in ways that can provide more conveniences for the guests.
  • Other possible uses include placing RFID tags on items of high value as a means of theft prevention or integrating tags into guest loyalty cards for easy identification
  • IT investment that lowers environmental impact and IT that manages the environmental impact of other systems are commonly referred to as “green technology”
  • Many hoteliers might think becoming more environmentally friendly will cost more for their hotels. However, it has been demonstrated that “going green” is not only the right thing to do for the environment but also provides tangible bottom-line benefits for hotels by reducing consumption of energy and water, as well as other related costs.
  • Some of the risk factors involved include reliability, security, and privacy issues
  • A hotel with more technologies being utilized will install more security systems than those with fewer technologies.
  • Many of these attacks involve attempts by thieves to gain access to customer credit card data, and these attempts constitute a major portion of the risk inherent in IT security
  • if a system is breached and the merchant is not PCI compliant, the merchant then is responsible for all costs associated with improperly used credit card information taken from that system (Kress, 2008). These losses could bankrupt a business if the security breach goes undetected for even a short time.
  • IT security systems are those measures taken to protect the confidentiality and integrity of proprietary data.
  • two main paradigms of adoption are believed to occur: bottom-up adoption and top-down adoption.
  • Thus, it is reasonable to assume that organizational factors (e.g., financial factor, human resource) will influence the implementation stage of security systems at a hotel.
  • A hotel with sufficient IT budget will install more security systems than those with insufficient IT budget.
  • That is, if a hotel does not have its own IT department, it will have a negative influence on successfully installing or maintaining necessary security systems.
  • A hotel with its own IT department will install more security systems than those without.
  • Overall, the state of IT spending on security continues undiminished because managed security services are required for almost every application (Communications News, 2007).
  • risk associated with a breach of IT systems security (e.g., network break-ins) is very high. Consequently, no sector of the business community is exempt from attacks on their IT systems, with an attack being defined as a technique used to exploit a system’s vulnerabilities.
  • Given the importance of security and privacy at a luxury hotel, this study expects luxury properties to have installed more security systems than other segments
  • Most hotel employees use their property management systems for hotel operations and should be able to check their e-mails.
  • To justify the low response rate, previous studies which have compared response rates of mail and e-mail for surveys were reviewed.
  • the large majority of respondent properties do not have their own IT departments. Second, the people making IT decisions generally do not have IT backgrounds or training. Third, the large majority of respondent properties have little more than firewalls or antivirus software to protect their proprietary data, and these systems alone are not adequate to meet PCI standards, as they do not take steps to encrypt and protect cardholder data, maintain a vulnerability management program, implement strong access control measures, regularly monitor and test their networks, and maintain an information security policy as required by the Security Standards Council.
  • The respondents were asked to select from a total of fourteen securities related systems
  • The profile of the respondents revealed that they were experienced hoteliers with more than ten years experience in the industry
  • Fifty-three percent of the respondents reported that they were with chain hotels that would be considered mid-range properties with an average of 175 rooms (median of 107). Over 80% of the respondents reported working in operations, while fewer than 4% reported working in either IT or engineering (Table 1).
  • Nearly 70% of the respondents’ properties did not have their own IT department (69.2% did not have, and 30.8% had their own IT departments, n = 234, missing data = 10).
  • Fifty-three percent of them (n = 244) thought the most important goal for hotel technology would be enhancing the customer’s experience.
  • second identified goal was utilizing technology to help generate revenue (41%)
  • differentiate properties from their competition (20%), to lower expenses (16%), and to increase security (6%).
  • Internet kiosks in the lobby represented the most frequently used self-service technology (36.5%, n = 244), followed by kiosks for airline check-in/board pass
  • With respect to security systems currently in use, antivirus security systems represented the most frequently used security system (92.2%), followed by hardware firewalls, software firewalls, physical security, and encrypted login security systems.
  • intrusion detection was the most frequently identified system (15.6%), followed by vulnerability assessment scanning (13.5%), Internet scanning (13.1%), antivirus (11.5%), digital ID server (11.5%), and nonreusable passwords (9.8%; Table 2).
  • Thus, the hypothesis was supported that there was a linear relationship between the three factors and the adequacy of security systems.
  • The positive standardized coefficient (β) of .389 indicates that there was a statistically significant (p < .001) linear relationship between IT usage (the number of wireless, self-service, and green technologies a hotel was using) and the adequacy of security systems
  • The study revealed certain things of interest, the most significant of which is the need for greater emphasis on IT security among hoteliers.
  • only about 30% of all respondents reported having their own IT departments. Since budget hotel properties are extremely unlikely to have an IT department, it is highly likely that the very large majority of IT decisions throughout the industry are being made by hotel operators for whom IT is not their primary area of concern.
  • Furthermore, the focus of hoteliers for future IT implementations is enhancing the guest experience (53%) and generating revenue (41%). Very few respondents (6%) identified increasing security as a 5-year IT goal.
  • While almost all respondents use information systems as part of their jobs, very few are trained in the development, maintenance, and secure use of these systems.
  • no correlation was found between the respondents’ perceived adequacy of their IT budgets and the adequacy of installed security systems, as adequacy of IT budget did not appear as a significant term in the regression analysis.
  • Nearly 10% of respondents do not have so much as anti-virus protection for their systems, and nearly half do not even take simple physical precautions to protect their IT systems.
  • we note that no correlation exists between the respondents’ perceived adequacy of their IT budgets and the number of installed IT security systems, as the number of installed systems was not a significant factor in the regression analysis.
  • The sample obtained in this study represented the targeted sample: over 80% of the respondents were working in hotel operations. Furthermore, the purpose of this study was to explore hotel operators’ insight of technology usage, IT budget, and security measures rather than to confirm existing theories or to generalize the results.
  • it is reasonable to conclude that the respondents did not have an adequate understanding of the nature of the IT security hazards facing them for the average property does not have installed systems adequate to meet PCI standards, yet they reported having adequate budgets.
  • In order to adequately protect proprietary data, one must have an understanding of network security, which is an understanding apart from software functionality.
  • Properties with their own IT departments, however, reported that they had a higher number of installed IS security systems than did those properties without their own IT departments.
  • roperties without their own IT departments, in particular, have a less adequate understanding of their IT security needs than may be necessary.
  • This study found hoteliers’ lack of attention to security provision, training in IT, and PCI compliance can place hoteliers at great risk. For example, the cost of a single incident at a noncompliant property could result in the loss of the entire business.
  • It will be useful to examine the reasons why luxury properties are more likely to employ adequate security measures to determine whether this greater use is attributable to better understanding of security issues or some other factor.
  • The study was limited by the nature of online surveys; the response rate was quite low. Future studies could test the proposed research model via paper-based mail surveys to increase a response rate.
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    This article covers a study performed on various hotels to determine management's level of IT knowledge and security implementations in relation to the hotel's IT security budget. The article discusses four types of technology impacting the hotel industry and how management responses to trending technology can affect a business, particularly in terms of a data breach and overall security. The study finds that an alarming percentage of hotel managers are not adequately informed on the risks and procedures of IT management and security, and many do not have proper IT security measures in place despite having an appropriate budget.
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Technology in travel agencies: 7 fundamental changes that impact the travel agent's rev... - 0 views

  • the market scenario of their business has changed dramatically in recent years (and will continue to change)
  • Why would any travel agent really want to return to costly, inefficient booking and communications systems anyway?
  • from services to clients to a more experiential-based kind of travel
  • ...20 more annotations...
  • The goal is no longer the Destination but what you can take from it, in terms of emotions, feelings and experiences above all
  • a new way of booking that no longer requests the presence
  • it is difficult to sift through the options and opportunities to find the one that fits the needs of your business. And, even the most tech-savvy travel agents, may find some obstacles on their way
  • disruption, modernization, techie platforms, big data, robotization and artificial intelligence
  • Internet is helping to create the modern travel agency
  • no longer have to physically visit an agency
  • the rise of online booking
  • The same is valid for airlines and hotels where customers are now allowed to book tickets and lodging directly from these companies' websites.
  • creating a new kind of relationship between travel agencies and clients
  • travel agencies have widened the ways in which they can communicate not only with customers, but also with their business network and partner services. 
  • "get a personality"
  • Social media is one of the more significant tools nowadays
  • a 24/7 booking service and customers accept no less than that
  • "Digitization in aviation, travel, and tourism is expected to increase profitability throughout the ecosystem, creating up to 305 billion dollars (270 billion euros) in value over the decade spanning 2016 to 2025", according to Accenture and the World Economic Forum report.
  • the huge amount of customer data at the disposal of travel agencies is allowing for a more pervasive analysis and efficient predictions based on behavioural information
  • intelligent virtual assistants are increasingly being integrated into mobile devices and messaging apps, assuring travel agencies can offer a truly on-demand service which makes clients happier
  • Virtual reality is allowing agencies to "transport" customers to their dreamed destinations
  • . It is all about making clients happier and assure revenues are growing, turning the business into a profitable one. 
  • Transformation in the travel sector is all about increasing speed and creating the agility to spot and respond to customer needs better than ever before
  • Maximum efficiency, agility, end-to-end experiences based on real-time data, hyper-personalized services are some of the "must do" nowadays.  
  •  
    This article talks about the 7 fundamental changes that are impacting travel agents. Specifically it speaks about the internet's role, self-service, forming new types of relationships with clients, social media, mobile access, digitization, and data/AI use.
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Sabre goes all-in with Google Cloud for infrastructure and analytics | PhocusWire - 0 views

  • Google Cloud and Sabre have formed a 10-year partnership that will see the creation of a new marketplace for airline, hospitality and agency customers.
  • Google Cloud becoming its preferred cloud provider as well as a “broader strategic partner.”
  • strategy to “imagine, develop and deploy future capabilities that will advance the travel ecosystem.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • deliver more personalized experiences for travelers, saving time and providing greater convenience that will ultimately raise the standard for the travel industry overall.”
  • Sabre is not the only travel company to declare its data service ambitions in the past week, with Lufthansa also announcing a partnership with Google Cloud.
  • Detlef Kayser, a member of the executive board of Lufthansa Group, says: "This will enable us to identify possible flight irregularities even earlier and implement countermeasures at an early stage.”
  •  
    the article highlights the benefits of a new partnership between sabre and google cloud to better enhance the services of sabre in the travel ecosystem.
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