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jsmiranda22

The Future of Restaurants in 2022 & Beyond | SevenRooms - 1 views

  • what’s next for the restaurant industry? Which innovations and restaurant consumer trends will we see next? What will guests expect from restaurants, bars and nightlife venues?
  • Guests will expect moreThe digital experience will be more important than everConvenience will be a top priority for dinersOnline ordering is here to stayAutomation will be key to scaling hospitality effortsData will be critical to retaining guests
  • Guests will have high expectations, but restaurants will have a difficult time meeting them due to rising food costs, shifting pandemic-related situations and labor shortages. 
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  • 54% of guests believe that an online reservations system is the most important technology feature a restaurant can offer.
  • customers crave convenience, and they will continue to expect it in the years to come.
  • Personalized convenience is a restaurant consumer trend the hospitality industry will see in 2022 and beyond. Future-proof your restaurant:
  • Future-proof your restaurant
  • Online ordering is here to stay. If your restaurant doesn’t offer convenient takeout and delivery options, you can bet that your customers will satisfy their cravings with your competition.
  • In the very near future, automation will not only help restaurants keep up with demand and daily operations, but it will also help them do things that just aren’t possible otherwise
  • When you have information about your guests – such as their dining history and preference
  • You will be able to attract them with targeted marketing offers that speak to those habits and preferences.
  • Diners will crave a level of hospitality that not only gives them what they want, when they want it, but that also personalizes offers and makes it easier for them to decide when to make a reservation or what to order
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    This article briefly describes predictions in trends for the future of restaurants in 2022 and beyond. The most commonly used trends to implement are: -Higher expectations in guest satisfaction -Digital platforms for things such as online reservations -Personalized convenience to feature relevant products to the consumer -Online ordering that offers both takeout and delivery -Automation in operations and marketing such as the usage of customer relationship management (CRM) -Guest data to target market offers
llibe010

Benefits of Point of Sale Software for Hotels - 0 views

  • Point of sale software, or POS software, is used as part of a wider POS system and is primarily designed to allow users to process payments from customers. However, at the same time, POS software can be used to automate various parts of the sales process, such as updating inventory information and sales data.
  • For those in the hotel industry, point of sale software can be one of the most important investments, because it can provide staff with a range of tools that can be of benefit to them, and to the business.
  • One of the biggest benefits of using point of sale software within the hotel and hospitality industry is the ability to process payments easily. This includes processing payments of a variety of types, including cash payments, debit card payments, credit card payments, mobile wallet payments, and more.
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  • Point of sale software within the hotel industry is also invaluable for the role it can play in terms of improving inventory management. As an example of this, stock levels on products can be automatically updated as and when sales are processed, meaning employees will always have the most accurate data at their disposal.
  • Another major plus point associated with the use of point of sale software within hotels is centred around the opportunities it provides for upselling, cross selling, and marketing. Upselling and cross selling are strategies for maximising revenue per customer and in hotels, this can mean selling room upgrades or extras.
  • POS software and systems can also help hotels when it comes to employee management and there are a number of ways this can be achieved. For instance, employees connecting to the POS system can be used to monitor when they were in work, when they left, and the amount of hours they worked, potentially making payroll easier.
  • The data gathered by point of sale software can be extremely useful for reporting purposes, making it one of the most vital pieces of hotel technology. Generally, a POS system will automatically track basic performance indicators related to sales and revenue, and hotels can configure software to track RevPAR and similar metrics too.
  • Finally, point of sale software also offers excellent compatibility and integration with other examples of hotel software, with property management systems (PMS) among the most significant examples of this.
  • Point of sale software can be especially useful within hotel restaurants, and within the restaurant industry as a whole, because it allows for smoother transactions, while also automatically feeding back which meals have been ordered. Of course it is also important to stay up-to-date with the various other ways the software is being used.
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    The article discusses the benefits of using POS software in hotels and how POS software can improve revenue generation over time. Some of the key benefits discussed include ease of processing payments, better management of inventory, opportunities to upsell and market different products, improved employee management and more analytical insights. The article further highlights a POS system's ability to integrate with the hotel PMS to further increase efficiency. Current and future trends have also been covered.
ajean132

MarineXchange: Cloud Computing and AI Next Onboard - Cruise Industry News - 0 views

  • Celebrating MarineXchange’s 20th anniversary this year, the company has played a key role in developing software written specifically for the industry, with a portfolio of software and hardware solutions, managing all office and ship related activities.
  • “We are working very closely with Microsoft to bring cloud computing onboard ships next,” Lindthaler said. “It is called on-premises cloud (solutions for ships), and it does not exist today.
  • Lindthaler said he is focusing on two different projects: sales recommendations and supply chain forecasting.
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  • For the cruise customer, the software will be able to make meaningful recommendations in terms of shore excursions, for example, before they take a cruise. This serves two purposes, he said: it generates revenue and helps making the booking stick. Guests who purchase shore excursions before making their final payment are less likely to cancel the cruise.
  • “What is important is to make relevant recommendations based on the customers’ history that is stored and interpreted by the software. The self-learning engine takes into consideration the guest profile, nationality, gender, age, if they travel with extended family, friends, where they are sailing; it looks at many data points before making recommendations.” For the supply chain, the AI engine can find correlations between cruise lengths, weather, deployment and special occasions, according to Lindthaler. “Our current system can handle all of this,” he said, “but requires more data maintenance and also experienced provision masters. With the growth of the industry, there is a shortage of experienced crew, however, and this is where the technology can help. Sailing seven days out of Miami, it is not very difficult, but for global deployment, accurate forecasting becomes more of a challenge.”
  • MXP was also the first software provider to provide mobile solutions custom-designed for cruise ships ranging from POS to check-in, housekeeping, hotel maint
  • enance, and much more.
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    This article dives into the possibilities of cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) aboard cruise ships. MarineXchange, a leading provider of office and ship-related software and hardware, explains its journey in bringing this new evolution of technology to ships, in partnership with Microsoft. Examples of the benefits of AI in relation to sales and supply chain forecasting are also included.
llibe010

Business on Cloud: Hospitality | Cloud technology | Cloud Kinetics - 0 views

  • The hospitality industry has undergone a transformation in the last decade, mostly due to data explosion, social media boom as well as changing customer expectations and behaviour
  • Working together with other cloud-based next-generation technologies, Cloud technology is helping hoteliers gain a deeper understanding of their operations and their customers, across locations
  • Strong demand growth with hotel software spend forecast to grow at 7-8% over the next three years globally
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  • The Hospitality Industry, like any other service industry, can gain the ability to monitor, test, and implement better solutions to improve guest experience, streamline operations, and provide better data security by migrating their applications to the cloud
  • Hospitality industry is a competitive space with hotels looking to offer promotions to attract guests
  • Cloud services allow for information to be readily available in a user-friendly set up, with access from multiple devices
  • Most cloud providers operate on a Pay-as-you-use model. This means that cloud services can be obtained in timely manner when the need arises. In other times, cloud resources can be shut down, when not in use.
  • It is important to partner with the right cloud solution provider in pursuing your company’s most important objectives
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    The article discusses the various applications of cloud computing in the hospitality and hotel industry. It focuses on the use of cloud servers in property management and includes several benefits such as scalability due to the seasonal nature of demands, ease of connectivity, better accessibility and reduction to IT and infrastructure costs. The article also shows how cloud computing helps hotels transform the guest experience. Various categories of cloud-based apps have been discussed as well including marketing, booking appointments, POS transactions, and managing reservations and events. The article concludes by cautioning hoteliers to partner with the right cloud service provider as it is necessary to align the business objectives with the service offering of a particular provider and ensure synergy.
ajean132

How is artificial intelligence changing the hotel indus... | Mews Blog - 0 views

    • jtarr003
       
      this articles talks about what is artificial intelligence and how it can helps the hospitality industry. This article talks about some advantages of using artificial intelligence in the hotel industry for example it can lower the human involvement in everyday tasks that can go into running a hotels, which has many benefits like it will lead to less human error, save money, and can allow the hotel to focus more on the guest experience.
  • There are many advantages to using artificial intelligence in the hotel industry. It can be used to enhance the customer experience by fully understanding the customer journey, better profiling guests and discovering what they’re looking for in order to improve service.
  • It can decrease human involvement in the everyday tasks that go into running a hotel, which leads to less human error, saves you money, and allows you to deliver a top-notch service
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  • Implementing a hotel property management system, which uses machine learning to interpret big data, allows you to better take care of revenue management and make data-driven decisions to improve your sales and operations
  • Chatbots can be used to answer frequently asked questions, and handle concierge services and housekeeping requests such as to get extra pillows or blankets delivered to the room. Not only can these requests be dealt with more easily, but they can also be handled more quickly; with our instant gratification culture, being able to take care of guest’s needs in a timely fashion is key to offering great service.
  • Data can then be quickly sorted, interpreted and applied so that your hotel can draw conclusions about performance data and put into practice the learnings. This will help you better understand your target guests based on your current guests, and allow you to adapt your strategies in order to attract a different target audience.
  • Having the technology in place to serve a multilingual population will allow your hotel to appeal to a wider range of guests and make you less dependent on hiring multilingual staff. 
  • Hyperdynamic pricing based on AI can be used together with booking engines to automatically update prices based on user data, information compiled from social media about potential guests, as well as market data to display rates that will maximize profits. This can be updated in real time based on current demand trends. The software is getting better all the time, but the idea is to use data available on social media about the user to offer hotel rooms or offers that most appeal to a potential target grou
  • With the ability to carry out human functions more efficiently, hotels can use this technology to optimize operations and to streamline the guest experience in order to boost guest retention rates and drive sales.
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    This article dives into the increased popularity of artificial intelligence (AI) in the hospitality industry. AI allows businesses to serve guests as accurately and efficiently as possible, ultimately increasing their satisfaction. AI also contributes to having effective revenue management and sales and operations systems.
j1abao

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

  • Venture capitalists are finally starting to recognize the opportunity to invest in tools and platforms that allow hotels to capture new levels of hotel operations efficiency and revenue growth.
  • penetration of cloud-based technologies in the segment remains incredibly low
  • hotels that invest in technology drive higher revenue, better guest reviews, and a higher star-rating.
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  • 20,000 properties.
  • hospitality property owners look to address the challenge of competition from peer-to-peer platforms like Airbnb
  • focus on improving guest experience and helping travelers have the trip of a lifetime
  • guest-messaging software
  • messaging tools to deliver five-star service at scale
  • provide frictionless guest service and streamline time-consuming interactions, such as check-in.
  • White labeling has already begun in the hotel industry without hoteliers even knowing it. Property management systems that offer channel management integrations are usually white labelling their channel managers from other vendors
  • The many tech innovations we see penetrating the market require constant vigilance of cybersecurity best practices, regular updates to security software, and dedication to routine testing and threat assessment.
  • Most revenue management systems focus on reporting and data visualization; the addition of white label software to the backend of an RMS can improve price optimization, letting hoteliers spend their time on higher value tasks and strategic revenue management.
  • APIs allow your various hotel technology tools and programs to work together, conne
  • streaming, voice activation, guest-room tablets, and food ordering tech.
  • 2nd Kitchen is a godsend for hotels without a kitchen on-site: guests can order room service from restaurants near your hotel,
  • Numerous high-profile malware attacks on the hotel industry have led to hundreds of millions of guests’ data being compromised and millions of dollars in damage.
  • forced to get smart about security
  • do their research in selecting tech tools
  • regularly host training to their staff
  • all-in-one suite of tools, including a property management system, channel manager, booking engine, and revenue manager, growing revenue and automating workflows at more than
  • There are two factors outside Coronavirus that are impacting OTAs. First, hotels are getting better at capturing direct bookings.
  • Secondly, Google has entered the travel market in a big way.
  • for property owners, WiFi 6 is much more relevant
  • beyond the guest experience, hotels can take advantage of faster WiFi
  • Smart thermostats, smart speakers, and smart locks
  • data has become the world’s most valuable resource.
  • Data can fuel smarter marketing campaigns, inform your pricing, and help you capture a higher market share
  • Hoteliers are just starting to realize the potential of its guest data.
  • put a dollar figure on just how much hotel industry data is worth. The Group purchased STR for $450 million in cas
  • New competitors are challenging old management companies that haven’t innovated enough
  • These next-gen properties are sometimes called hometels (home+hotel), or more generally, alternative lodging
  • Technology in hotels goes far beyond guestroom TVs and phone
  • smart locks
  • ast WiF
  • NFC technology for contactless payments
  • kiosks or mobile apps for digital check-in,
  • robots that deliver room service.
  • Smart hotel rooms use technology to allow guests to personalize their stay experiences.
  • The most important software in the hotel industry is the property management system
  • hoteliers must focus on data security and continued training
    • jtarr003
       
      I really enjoyed this article about 8 disruptive Hotel Technology trends to watch in 2022. What I found most interesting about this article is how guest room technology is changing. Guest now want there hotel room to have voice enabled devices in there hotel room to help them control the room that they are staying in. Also guest would rather use on-demand conveniences like uber eats and door dash to eat food to there rooms.
    • jtarr003
       
      8 disruptive hotel technology trends to watch in 2022
  • White labeling is a practice in which a product – in this case, hotel software – is manufactured by a third party and uses branding by the purchaser, or marketer, so that the end product appears to have been produced by the purchaser. “The advantage is that a single company does not need to do it all: one firm can concentrate on producing the product; another on marketing it; and another can focus on selling it, each according to its expertise and preference,”
  • Interest in investing in hotel technology has slowly ramped up in recent years.
  • Hotels that are comfortable using APIs can automate tasks that take up much of their employee’s time with manual data entry.
  • Why is data so valuable? “Data are now part of every sector and function of the global economy and, like other essential factors of production such as hard assets and human capital, much of modern economic activity simply could not take place without them
  • Hotels use technology to provide better service, streamline communication, allow guests to personalize their experiences, and offer more convenient processes, like checking in or ordering room service.
  • deliver increasingly high value for hoteliers and guests. For hotel managers, technology specifically designed to manage hotel operations, reservations, housekeeping, and more can enable greater efficiency and fewer human errors
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    For this article I want to focus on the room technology aspect. We have become so dependent of our devices at home that sometimes going to hotels is not as pleasant as before. In this article, we can see how hotel chains are changing to cater to our needs so the daily routines are not affected. One example is how Hilton is partnering with Netflix allowing you to sync your Netflix Account with the Hilton Honors app so you can go and use the room tv to keep watching your favorite programs. So no more using your computer or ipad to keep binging on your series while you are in a hotel. The other interesting part is the use of tablets and apps that mimic our regular apps for food ordering within the hotel avoiding the need to call for room service or doing lines at restaurants.
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    This article reviews the top eight tech trends causing disruption in the hospitality industry: SaaS (software as a service), APIs (application programming interface), guest room tech, privacy & cybersecurity, OTAs (online travel agency) struggling, WiFi 6, big data and digital hotel companies/alternative lodging. The article dives into each of the eight with an overview/background on the tech, how it's advancing, and why and how it's being used. Some of main takeaways are that for many of the tech trends the industry is just starting to realize the full potential and that overall these tech advances should be able to allow companies to harness tech and data to drive customer experience and retention.
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    I found this article rather interesting because I feel like this is very normal to me now. The fact that it has technology trends of 2022 on it is so interesting because I've been seeing these trends for a while already. I liked how the article called these technology trends a way for the customers to personalize their experience. At the end of the day, they truly are in charge because of these trends. Everything is accesible online and they even have options to add nearby tourist spots to their itinerary. Technological convenience is now a part of everyone's life. This is why hotels are implementing this convenience through streaming, guest tablets, food ordering kiosk, and much more. This is possible because hotels are also using API's which connect hotel technology by tech stacking and using tools to talk to one another. In my opinion, these technological advances could only get better to further improve the convenience hotels can provide.
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    This article discusses not only the future of hospitality technology, but the impact it will have on the industry, All of the technology advancements mentioned will change how hospitality businesses operate. For example, cybersecurity is becoming a really important investment for these businesses to make because hackers have been stealing guest data and information. Tech advancements are being placed around privacy of consumer data, when that never used to be a major issue
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    This article palms out 8 disruptive hotel technology trends to follow. The explosion of SaaS, APIs going mainstream, room technology innovation, privacy and cybersecurity, the struggles of OTAs, WiFi 6, big data and digital hotel companies. The article illustrates that technology is driving the hospitality industry by explaining new technology trends that enable hoteliers to operate more efficiently and offer guests the opportunity to personalize their experience. But it also means hoteliers must focus on data security and ongoing training when implementing the technology guests expect.
llibe010

This is personal: Cybersecurity and the hospitality industry | HLB - 1 views

  • The hospitality industry has been a prime target for cyberattacks in recent years. From ransomware to data breaches, hotel chains and other businesses in the hospitality industry have experienced a variety of attacks
  • First, hospitality businesses deal with large amounts of Personally Identifiable Information (PII), including credit card information and contact details of customers.
  • Second, the hospitality industry relies heavily on technology, creating additional attack surfaces for criminals to exploit. For example, many hotels use electronic key cards that can be easily hacked
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  • Finally, the hospitality industry is often slow to adopt new security measures, leaving it behind the curve in protecting against emerging threats and scams.  
  • One type of attack is known as malware injection. This occurs when malicious software is injected into a hotel's or restaurant's computer system. The malware can then be used to steal customer data or take control of the system
  • Fortunately, there are steps that the hospitality industry can take to protect itself from these types of attacks, including investing in robust cybersecurity solutions, educating employees about cybersecurity risks and best practices, which can help reduce employee mistakes that could lead to an attack, and staying up-to-date on cybersecurity threats and trends
  • To protect themselves, these businesses need to follow GDPR guidelines (General Data Protection Regulation), a set of regulations that European Union member states must implement to protect digital data privacy
  • The most important thing you can do is to use a unique password for each account. This may seem like a lot of work, but it's the only way to ensure that your data is safe
  • This ensures that if an attack does occur, critical information can be recovered quickly. Additionally, it is important to keep software updated with the latest security patches. Many attacks exploit known vulnerabilities, so by staying up-to-date, businesses can make it more difficult for attackers to access their systems
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    The article discusses the relevance of cybersecurity for hotels in light of more and more people working from home after the pandemic. Common risks and their safeguards have been described along with a set of best practices that hotels should adopt to prevent breaches.
llibe010

The Top Five Cyberthreats Hotel Brands and Franchisees Need to Know About | Netsurion - 0 views

  • ay for guests, it also opens hotels to digital threats perpetrated by malicious actors. Consequently, hotel operators should be aware of the types of cyber attacks, which can significantly hurt their brand reputation and bottom line, not to mention the safety and welfare of employees and guests.
  • In January, for example, cyber criminals took over a luxurious Austrian hotel’s computer-controlled key-card system, locking 180 guests out of their rooms until hotel managers paid a nominal ransom
  • A ransomware attack may disable or alter performance of hotels’ computer-driven systems such as air conditioning and lighting, putting guests’ comfort and, worse yet, safety at risk. In addition, booking systems are extremely vulnerable to ransomware attacks because they process information belonging to the hotels, third-party applications and their customers.
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  • 1. Ransomware:
  • hey present further ransomware opportunities to hackers by using computers to automate functions.
  • distributed denial of service, or DDoS
  • One of the largest data breaches in history was conducted through a third-party vendor when hackers stole data from 70 million credit cards by gaining access to a mega-retailer’s network through credentials belonging to an HVAC contractor.
  • 3. Phishing scam targeting customers and hotels:
  • 4. DDoS attacks on the hotel network:
  • 2. Remote hacking through third-party vendors:
  • 5. Theft of personal information over public Wi-Fi.
  • Statistics indicate that such incidents will become more frequent, so it is not a matter of if but when the next cyber attack will occur.
  • Integrate a managed SIEM. Hotels should bring on a managed security information and event management (SIEM) platform for their remote locations to be warned right away of cyber attacks. They may also want it for inside the perimeter if they lack the expertise and resources to properly use SIEM internally.
  • Maintain PCI compliance. The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) has put forth a set of stipulations, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), in response to rapid PCI expansion. Hotels should make sure they are compliant with these regulations, which require businesses to send credit-card information in a secure environment, to prevent paying heavy fines and losing data, revenue, and customer trust.
  • Install antivirus on all devices. Hotels should ensure they have reliable anti-virus and anti-malware software installe
  • Train employees. Hotels should train employees to not open suspicious emails or links inside them as they may contain malware.
  • According to the FBI, the number of cyber threat occurrences quadrupled to 4,000 per day last year from 1,000 per day in 2015
  • In addition, there are large volumes of payment card transactions between restaurants, on-site shops, spas, parking, and the front-desk, ensuring there is plenty of customer data for a hacker to compromise.
  • The number of cybersecurity incidents worldwide increased 38 percent in 2015 from 2014, according to the Global State of Information Security Survey 2016 by PwC, CIO, and CSO.
  • Hotels are especially vulnerable to this type of attack where a type of malware disrupts access to a system until a ransom is paid. This is because they often use integrated POS systems
  • Hackers can break into hotels’ payment systems through a remote access point belonging to one of its vendors, so they should closely monitor third-party access to their networks
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    This article outlines some of the main cyber attacks on the Hospitality industry. It exposes the threats due to the wealth of data stored in PMS, POS and CRM and suggests steps to take to protect against malware and randsomeware. The article further highlights the necessity for antivirus software on all devices.
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    The article describes the five most common cybersecurity risks for hotel brands such as ransomware, remote hacking and DDoS attacks. The operational elements of each risk have also been discussed. It also covers best practices that hotels and other hospitality organizations can adopt to curb breaches.
peacejj22

Why sustainability is key for the future of the hospitality industry - 0 views

  • Why sustainability is key for the future of the hospitality industry
  • The hospitality industry has historically had a dramatic environmental impact on the environment through energy and water consumption, and use of consumable goods. With sustainability now being the issue on everyone’s mind, previous course leader of our course leader BA (Hons) Hotel and Hospitality Management, Gaurav Chawla, discusses how the industry is responding, and why it’s a key focus on the course.
  • In simple words, sustainability means that natural ecosystems can continue to support life and provide resources to meet the needs of the present and future generations. Evidently, the hotel sector puts increased pressure on the environment and is demanding on the natural resources. However, the industry also relies on the same natural environment – unspoilt landscapes, sandy beaches, turquoise waters, glaciers, waterfalls, coral reefs and fresh air; all of which serve as great tourist attractions. Therefore, there is an inherent danger that the we might harm the very basis on which hospitality is built. 
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  • In addition, other business concerns, such as rising costs, increased government pressures and competitors’ actions have only motivated hoteliers to embrace sustainability and make it an integral part of the corporate agenda.
  • Green House Hotel in Bournemouth
  • Social concerns such as inclusivity, promoting work-life balance, promoting employees’ health and wellbeing, sourcing supplies locally and stimulating entrepreneurship are all part of the sustainability agenda. 
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    this article is about why sustainability is key to our industry.
jordanskj

10 Ways to Reduce Cybersecurity Risk for Your Organization | UpGuard - 0 views

  • ‍Cybersecurity breaches have been on the rise, and it's expected that by 2023, they'll have grown to 15.4 million
  • Make sure all your sensitive data is encrypted
  • Saving your data in normal-text format only makes it easy for hackers to access
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  • Some data encryption software even lets you know when other people try to alter or tamper with the information
  • You should also conduct regular backups for your important information
  • statistics show that over 3.4 billion phishing emails are sent globally
  • a hacker may send an email impersonating leaders in the organization asking for personal details
  • make sure you use a patch management system to automatically manage all updates and uphold information security
  • over 80% of organizational data breaches result from weak passwords
  • Chances are that your cyber security is highly dependent on third-party vendors, which is why you can’t afford to ignore vendor risk management
  • Conduct a security assessment and determine whether your critical infrastructure is safe from security breaches.
  • have your IT security teams analyze all server logs frequently and conduct cybersecurity framework audits to make sure their integrity is intact.
  • you should defend your networks from cyber attacks by installing firewalls
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    In this article, the author discusses many different ways to help a business reduce their risk for cyber attacks. The article touches on a statistic about cybersecurity, stating "During the first half of 2021 alone, over 118 million people were impacted by data breaches". There is quick talk about how the policies that a business implements is the make or break of the cybersecurity for your business. For example, one of the main tips to reduce cyber attacks in your business is to make sure your data is encrypted. "Saving your data in normal-text format only makes it easy for hackers to access. Data encryption, on the other hand, limits data access to parties that have the encryption key". Another tip to prevent cyberattacks highlighted in the article is to keep all your employees educated and informed about malicious emails. Conducting regular employee trainings about the dangers of these types of emails could save your business. These types of emails are known to send links that could hack the system, as well as pretend to be higher-up employees in the company asking for personal data or financial information. The article is extremely educational to every business, as well as just the everyday consumer. Keeping your confidential information as confidential as physically possible is very much doable, as long as you make sure you follow these 10 simple tips.
amdelgad

All Bets Are Off on Casinos and Cybersecurity | UpGuard - 0 views

  • better malware tools and access to deep funding make today's cyber criminals more than a bad movie, especially when lucrative payloads are for the taking.
  • In May 2015, attackers were able to steal cardholder names, credit card numbers, and CVV codes belonging to hotel guests and customers. In 2016 they suffered similar incidents due to malware being installed on POS systems, allowing attackers to steal customers' credit card information.
  • It may come as no surprise that casinos and gaming firms are ideal cyber attack targets, but how competent are these enterprises when it comes to rudimentary security?
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  • Online gambling upstart Ignition Casino offers Blackjack, Slots, Poker on its website; fortunately, the company has also taken the requisite security measures for bolstering its website security and email security.
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    This article focused on cybersecurity in hotel casinos. They mention how casinos seem to be a target for a lot of cyber attackers because they tend to not invest as they should on protecting themselves. Casinos hold a TON of financial data; customer info., bank info., and credit card info. I enjoyed the article because they even went as far as giving a few casinos a "security score" in how well/bad they are in staying secure.
djohn304

Importance of a Security Department in Hotel Front Office Management Tutorial 10 Octobe... - 0 views

  • The front office is a hotel’s communication center; it is the vital link between the hotel management and the guest.
  • The security department staff must react with speed and efficiency to serve the guest.
  • The security department is often regarded as a passive department, reacting only when called on.
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  • it is a very active department, setting policies, organizing programs, and delivering training programs to promote guest and employee safety.
  • Hotel Security report article by Patrick M. Murphy, CPP, director of loss prevention services at Marriott International, Inc., Washington, D.C., who reports on Marriott International’s adoption of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) in its chain of 1,900 owned and managed properties worldwide: CPTED is part of a total security package.
  • Guestrooms :- These [electronic locking systems] create an environment where keys are automatically changed when a new guest checks in; locks also can be interrogated to determine the last person to enter the room.
  • protecting the interior, lobby, and guestrooms; exterior and parking area; and the surrounding neighborhood.
  • Building entrances :- When reviewing a property we look to see that all entrances are inviting, brightly lit with no obstructing shrubbery. At night, side entrances should be restricted by use of card readers so that non - registered guests must pass through the lobby and past the main check - in desk.
  • Hotel lobbies :- They should be designed to be visually open, with minimal blind spots for front desk employees. Lobbies also should be designed so that persons walking through the front door must pass the front desk to reach the guestroom corridors or elevators.
  • presence of security or loss prevention officers
  • Guest amenities :- Marriott designs its new properties with glass doors and walls to allow for maximum witness potential when providing swimming pools, exercise rooms, vending areas, and laundry facilities. Adding house phones in these areas makes it possible for guests to call for help if they feel uncomfortable or threatened by anyone.
  • Exterior of the property :- CPTED principles call for bright lighting at walkways and entrances. Traffic should be directed to the front of the hotel property to make would - be criminals as visible as possible. Entrances to the hotel grounds should be limited. Landscaping, such as hedges and shrubbery, can also create aesthetically pleasing barriers to promote the desired traffic and pedestrian flow.
  • Parking :- The preferred lighting is metal halide. High - pressure sodium should be avoided because it casts a harsh yellow light. The optimal parking lot or garage has one entrance and exit with well - marked routes of travel for both cars and pedestrians. Garages need to be as open as possible, encouraging clear lines of sight. Elevators and stairwells that lead from the garage into the hotel should terminate at the lobby level, where a transfer of elevators or a different set of stairs should be required to reach guestroom floors. Other CPTED features in the garage should include CCTV (closed - circuit television) cameras, installation of emergency call boxes, and painting the walls white to increase the luminosity of light fixtures while creating an atmosphere that is appealing to the eye.1
  • The cost of a human life lost because of negligence or the financial loss due to a fire far outweighs the expense incurred in operating a security department.
  • Perhaps the most significant [of high - visibility hotel crimes] was the 1974 rape of singer / actress Connie Francis in a Westbury, N.Y. hotel, which resulted in a much publicized trial culminating in a multimillion - dollar verdict against the hotel. The case is still considered the industry’s “wake - up call” in terms of legal liability.
  •  
    This article gives the general basis of why it is important to have a security department for your front office. The front office is the communication center for the hotel. Therefore it is an area that breeds a healthy amount of human interaction for which you must have a secure, safe plan in the event of an emergency. In my opinion, I agree that front office associates deal with a lot of people on their job and having the appropriate knowledge for the appropriate situation is important.
carine_elie

How Much Should You Spend on Cybersecurity in 2022? by Lynn Goodendorf Spring 2022 - 0 views

  • Many hospitality companies are struggling with the question of how much to spend on cybersecurity especially in the context of revenue losses related to the pandemic.  The challenge is that the risk of cyberattacks is rapidly escalating.  There are several drivers of this alarming trend.  First, ransomware is growing in severity both in the scope and the scale of attacks as well as the amount of the ransom demand. Next is the increase in remote work during the global pandemic and the rush to facilitate at home working. And finally, small companies are increasingly targeted because they are “easy” victims and typically more vulnerable. As you might expect, the cost of cybercrime increased more than 50% from 2019 through 2020. According to a report by McAfee¹, the global cost is estimated to be more than $1 trillion and monetary losses are estimated at $945 billion.  Examples of hidden or intangible costs that are difficult to measure include system downtime, reduced efficiency, brand damage and loss of trust.  Expenses that are direct and easier to measure are consultant services, legal fees and cyber risk insurance premiums. Below is a chart published in the McAfee report that illustrates this trend.
  • Ransomware - a Denial of Service/Operations and often includes a data breach Business Email Compromise (BEC) - often involves Funds Transfer Fraud Computer Data Breach - theft of personal data such as cardholder data, social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers and details, etc.   What is the best way to go about budgeting for cyber security risk?  As a starting point, be sure that you have a qualified information security professional managing your program of work. Regardless of the amount you spend, a knowledgeable and experienced cybersecurity professional can make well informed judgments about priorities in expenditures.   There are three well established strategies that can work together in combination.   Each strategy has advantages and drawbacks and it is not recommended to rely on a single approach. Below is a description of each way to go forward.
  • STRATEGY A:  Key Ratios of Spend
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  • STRATEGY B:  Gap assessment
  • STRATEGY C:  Focus on Compliance
  •  
    The writer of this article is Hospitality Upgrade. It includes the expanding worries of the hotel sector.  The key ratio of spend, gap analysis, and a focus on compliance are the top three main strategies being used by the hotel sector. In addition, the other measures are made by businesses to aid in preventing such breaches and the financial repercussions that result from them.
slain006

Cybersecurity In the Hospitality Industry - 0 views

  • Like other industries that traditionally underinvest in cybersecurity, the hospitality industry has recently come under increased attacks from cybercriminals.
  • attracts new customers, and streamlines operations, bringing huge opportunities
  • While restaurants and hotels serve guests, they are also serving up valuable credit card and personal data to cybercriminals without even knowing it.
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  • Despite most attackers focusing on card data, increasingly they are looking at your loyalty programs
  • Unless hospitality businesses protect themselves properly with a proactive cybersecurity strategy, all of this data is vulnerable to exploitation by organized cybercrime.
  • A key activity is to ensure a business has been properly audited from a cybersecurity perspective. You need to properly audit your IT infrastructure, your POS systems, and ensure all endpoint software is up to date and properly patched. 
  • In addition to ensuring that POS terminal software is up to date and properly patched, make sure that you are following government-mandated and PCI compliance standards for these terminals. 
  • Train Employees
  •  
    Article talks about how cyber hacking is at an all-time high in the hospitality industry. Two main areas that hackers look into the most would be loyalty programs and POS systems as they have more important data. It also talks about how companies can do in order to better protect themselves such as firewalls.
ryanbonifas

Video surveillance helps secure World Poker Tour tournament | Security Magazine - 0 views

  • Video surveillance helps secure World Poker Tour tournament
  • The casino needed to have comprehensive coverage to enhance both event security and the safety of VIP guests; secure premises and protect against fraud and theft; and fulfill legal requirements set by local regulators.
  • To improve video coverage of gaming tables and the casino floor, security engineers from Volga Elektronik installed IDIS 5MP dome cameras and the IDIS Solution Suite (ISS) video management system (VMS). The expanded surveillance system helps operators detect, verify, analyze and rapidly respond to security and safety events and meet the requirements of regulatory gaming integrity.
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  • "Our security team can quickly and efficiently respond to incidents and resolve disputes to reduce table stoppages. The result is an enhanced patron experience that builds on our reputation as one of Europe's top gaming destinations."
  •  
    Poker and casino type events are a great target for crime. As the need to secure not only the safety of guests grow, but the protection of a venue and its assets, venues like the Merit Royal Hotel and Casino are constantly upping their game to ensure venue and life safety.
apere870

The new ways cybercriminals are attacking travel companies | PhocusWire - 0 views

    • apere870
       
      This article discusses the new way cybercriminals are attacking travel companies. It seems that cyber breaches are more common now with businesses in the hospitality sector. The main target for hackers is small hotel chains that don't have adequate infrastructure.
peacejj22

Gamification: The Hotel Effect - 0 views

  • Gamification: The hotel effect
  • Nowadays, the ways to attract guest attention and interest are countless, and being able to capitalize on today’s new technologies and digital transformation is just as important as presenting an unforgettable stay for your guests. With this in mind, we’ve taken interest in a new and innovative trend that hotels have begun adding into their marketing repertoires - gamification. 
  • use cases of this concept present a wide array of possibilities
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  • Why is gamification so effective in hospitality?
  • One of the important points of gamification is that it serves as a completely interactive digital experience. Being a new concept gives visitors the excitement of being able to engage with something fresh, and the interactive aspects of gamification is what keeps them interested in the program - and ultimately, of course, the property. Hotels around the world have begun introducing different variations of gamification, from simple point systems to full-fledged casino-like game ideas. Whether it be keeping up with guest loyalty or creating a sense of scarcity and urgency, gamification is a budding trend that’s set to take over the hospitality world. 
  • In addition to creating an engaging and interactive first impression for your potential guests, it’s equally important to be able to have something that keeps them constantly wanting more from you; and this is exactly what La Quinta Inns & Suites did.  The brand presented visitors with “Play & Stay”, a tremendously addictive game where users were able to potentially win collectibles or points of the brand with a digital slot machine and wheel of fortune. 
  • With “Play & Stay’s” digital slot machine, guests can use these tokens to access the game. The more times they play, the more chances they get to receive La Quinta-relevant rewards such as discounts or stays without blackout dates. The game’s addictiveness, in addition to the great potential rewards, adds to the guest's desire of returning back to the La Quinta website, and spinning the wheel again to see what more prizes they can potentially win. This in itself already helps to builds a large loyal base of La Quinta followers, and the gamification strategy’s success only amplifies its potential.
  • Accor Hotels
  • When creating a point-based gamification strategy, Accor Hotels has hit all the right spots with their Accor Live Limitless (ALL) program. The brand’s ALL program lies solely in a simple yet equally effective point system. Though it seems straightforward, the Accor point system possesses an in-depth array of different aspects in the overall strategy. Five different ALL program levels, depicted with different cards, range from classic to diamond and contain different perks each. Focusing on the actual stays of the guests, the program allows users to accumulate reward points every time they book or stay at one of the participating ALL program hotels, and members can earn additional reward and status points for every 10 Euros spent.
  • We at THN love exploring and learning about new hotel marketing initiatives, and look forward to creating more content and additional follow-ups to the growing and innovative gamification trend. We can’t wait to see what more exciting gamification strategies you have in store! 
  •  
    this article talks about how gamification is impacting the Hospitality industry.
tashaemunnings

As Canadians start travelling more, security risks increase | IT World Canada News - 1 views

  • As people engage in more travel, both for personal reasons and work trips, in the coming months, travellers may face more cybersecurity risks. Check Point Research, a cybersecurity solutions company, has seen a 40 per cent increase in attacks within the hospitality industry over the past year. 
  • Robert Falzon, head of engineering at Check Point Canada, said there are security risks in every step of travel, from the point of booking to departure.
  • He noted that one big issue is password re-use between sites.
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  • Falzon also talked about a recent tactic which involves attackers accessing people’s information through public WiFi.
  • He noted that generally, there is no security put on these WiFi systems.
  •  
    With an increase in travel, there is also an increase in security threats. Most of this comes from people reusing passwords and logging into unprotected, public Wi-Fi. Doing thee things make it easier for hackers to get ahold of a person's sensitive information. It is important that passengers think twice about what websites and servers they are using as well as their credentials.
shawndab

Cybersecurity revenues in tourism to exceed $2B - hotelbusiness.com - 0 views

  • cybersecurity will generate revenues of $2.1 billion in 2025 in the travel and tourism industry, up from $1.4 billion in 2021, forecasts GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
  • highlights the growing demand for cybersecurity products and services by travel and tourism companies in order to protect their customers’ personal data.
  • Travelers now expect a seamless experience while traveling, resulting in companies using technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud. However, this has made the sector vulnerable to cybercriminals as these technologies collect more personal and sensitive but valuable data.”
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  • not only are customers put at risk, but so is an entire company’s reputation.
  • A string of high-profile attacks in the industry has led to the scrutinization of cybersecurity strategies, with regulators now clamping down and fining companies that fail to protect their customers’ data.
  • Therefore, the risk of cyber-ignorance is escalating, and tourism companies need to start taking cybersecurity seriously.
  • “Effective cybersecurity strategies must involve contingency planning, as merely investigating an attack in its aftermath
  • “Hiring a CISO is a good start but if travel and tourism companies want to prove that they are committed to cybersecurity,
  •  
    This article is about the demand for cybersecurity products and services. Using more technology has made our industry more vulnerable and a lack of protected data can leave a company's reputation at risk. It mentioned how cyber-ignorance can be more costly in the long run. Hotels need a contingency plan to be proactive and not reactive.
smend120

Cyberattack on Luxury Resort Should Put Hospitality Industry on High Alert | Fisher Phi... - 0 views

  • Cyberattack on Luxury Resort Should Put Hospitality Industry on High Alert
  • Cybercriminals are finding new ways to hold their victims hostage
  • a recent cyberattack on a luxury resort should serve as a warning for your business.
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  • The Allison Inn & Spa, recently fell prey to a ransomware attack that left its employees’ and guests’ personal information exposed
  • the stolen information – which includes data from 1,500 employees and more than 2,500 guests, including dates the guests stayed at the hotel as well as employees’ birthdays, phone numbers, and Social Security numbers – was posted on the public internet in easily searchable form.
  • Typically, stolen confidential information such as this is only published on the “dark web” and is not as easily retrieved through any type of online searches.
  • New Tactic Reveals New Dangers
  • If affected devices cannot be removed from the network (or if the network cannot be temporarily shut down), secure the network by powering down infected devices to avoid any further spread of the ransomware infection;
  • the public release of the confidential guest and employee data may have been an “experiment” to see whether it could further ratchet up pressure on the business to pay out the ransom.
  • this new tactic may be a trend we see from cybercriminals looking to extort their victims in future ransomware attacks.
  • What Should Your Business Do?
  • be prepared to implement comprehensive cybersecurity risk management processes.
  • Determine what systems were impacted and immediately isolate them
  • they were hoping to force the business to pay them a ransom.
  • Triage impacted systems for restoration and recovery
  • Engage your internal and external stakeholders
  • Retain legal counsel to provide guidance
  • Retain a third-party incident response provider
  • Report the incident to law enforcement
  • companies should consider deploying multifactor authentication in order to gain access to company networks, provide robust cybersecurity training to all employees on an annual basis, and maintain offline, encrypted backups of all internal data.
  •  
    Cybercriminals are constantly coming up with novel schemes to kidnap their victims. A recent cyberattack on a five-star resort should act as a cautionary tale for your company. In Oregon, the Allison Inn & Spa recently became the target of a ransomware assault that revealed the personal data of its staff and visitors. The stolen data was published in easily accessible form on the public internet and includes details from 1,500 employees and more than 2,500 guests, including dates of the guests' hotel stays as well as employee birthdays, phone numbers, and Social Security numbers. The "dark web" is typically the only place where stolen private information like this is released, making it harder to find through regular online searches. The goal of the cybercriminals was to coerce the company into paying a ransom. The public disclosure of the private visitor and staff information seems to have been an "experiment" to see if it would increase pressure on the company to pay the ransom. Cybercriminals may use this new strategy frequently in the future to demand ransom from their victims. The implementation of thorough cybersecurity risk management procedures should be considered by resorts. In the event of a cybersecurity attack, determine which systems were affected by the attack and immediately isolate them. Then, prioritize those systems for restoration and recovery. After which, involve internal and external stakeholders and retain legal counsel for advice. It is crucial that you hire a third-party incident response provider and notify law enforcement. Multifactor authentication should be used by businesses to protect network access, and they should also annually train all staff in cybersecurity best practices and keep offline encrypted backups of all internal data.
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