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WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS has entered into a new agreement with Groups360 to bring instant online multi-room bookings to Wyndham hotels in 2023. Using Groups360's GroupSync Marketplace direct booking solution, Wyndham hotel owners will have the opportunity to integrate the platform with their hotel reservation systems, providing travel planners, including groups and events organizers along with those managing infrastructure, logistics and corporate accounts, with rates and availability as well as booking of rooms online, the company said in a statement. "Over the last three years, Wyndham has invested over $100 million in major technology initiatives, giving our franchisees access to best-in-class offerings that unlock new efficiencies while helping to grow their bottom line," said Lisa Checchio, Wyndham's chief marketing officer. "Bringing franchisees access to GroupSync is just the latest example and one we believe offers incredible opportunity for franchisees, particularly those in the economy segment, where such technology is an industry first." Hotels that publish live inventory and rates within the GroupSync Marketplace save travel planners' valuable time by allowing them to search, shop and book blocks of rooms. Possible users include short one- to-two-night group events such as youth sports, weddings and family reunions, as well as multi-week infrastructure or logistics projects such as commercial construction, bridge repair or highway expansion, Wyndham's statement said.

Peachtree Group has named Jarred Bussert as vice president of information technology. In this newly created role, Bussert will be responsible for the company's IT infrastructure, including all business applications, information security and data integrity, the company said in a statement. "Jarred's experience and achievements demonstrate his commitment to supporting business strategies with technology infrastructure," said Greg Friedman, Peachtree's managing principal and CEO. "As Peachtree continues to grow, I am pleased to attract talented leaders to our best-in-class team. His leadership will be instrumental in building a successful and high-performing organization." Bussert has extensive enterprise-wide technical and IT leadership experience. Before joining Peachtree, he was vice president, information technology for Majors Management, an Atlanta-based retail operator. Bussert started his career with RaceTrac Petroleum holding numerous leadership positions, leaving as director, information systems. He has an MBA and Master of Technology from Georgia Tech and received his bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia.

The European Investment Bank (EIB), the long-term lending arm of the European Union, has a long history of investing in critical airport infrastructure projects, often in situations where air transit has become a critical humanitarian need.

ASIAN AMERICAN OWNED technology firm Netlink Voice LLC has acquired Phonesuite, a hospitality voice communication platform used by several hotel brands, the company said in a statement. Following the acquisition, Phonesuite and its subsidiary Phonesuite Direct, will be supported by Netlink Voice's finances, technology infrastructure and shorter development cycle. "Our plan is to keep the best of Phonesuite in place, including its strong market presence, network of resellers and integrators, and hotel industry technologists who know and understand the voice and data needs within the hotel industry," said Nilay Patel, CEO and chairman of Jackson, Mississippi-based Netlink Voice. "Important next-generation platform development will be accelerated by applying the Netlink Voice technology stack to the flagship Voiceware VoIP platform quicker and with a broader feature set than ever before. We are already developing our next-generation hospitality product," he added. Netlink Voice had been a long-time Phonesuite reseller, the statement added.

Lenny King is now director of IT for Greenville, South Carolina-based auroHOTELS. Previously, he was director of IT for restaurant chain Taco Johns. Prior to coming to Greenville, South Carolina-based auroHOTELS, King, a native of Missouri, worked first for Intrawest Resorts, managing new property infrastructure and technology systems. He also worked for various hotels and resorts in Florida and Hawaii, including Hilton Daytona, PGA National, Turtle Bay Resort and Marriott Waikoloa. At auroHOTELS, led by D.J. Rama as president and CEO, King will oversee IT strategy, monitoring and enhancing cyber security, managing hotel WiFi and bandwidth, deploying systems to improve overall productivity, increasing automation, flow and reporting. He and his team will support the corporate headquarters and the properties in the field.

THE U.S. TRAVEL ASSOCIATION wants the federal government to replace pandemic-era restrictions with endemic-focused policies to enable full and free travel. That was one of several subjects Roger Dow, USTA's outgoing president and CEO, discussed at the Hunter Hotel Conference in Atlanta in March. In a letter to incoming White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Ashish Jha, USTA asked to immediately remove the pre-departure testing requirement for all fully vaccinated inbound international arrivals. "Despite declining hospitalizations and infections, increased vaccination rates and immunity, and a more robust public health infrastructure to manage the virus, the vast majority of pandemic-driven federal travel policies are still in place," the letter said. "While the public health benefits of these policies have now greatly diminished, the economic consequences continue to grow,"

GUJARAT JHM HOTELS, owned by the Rama family along with U.S.-based Auro Hotels, recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Gujarat to develop the JW Marriott Surat Resort & Spa in Surat in the state of Gujarat, India. It is GJHM's third Marriott hotel in the city after the Surat Marriott Hotel and the Courtyard by Marriott Surat. The upcoming property will feature more than 300 guestrooms and villas, according to a joint statement by GJHM and Auro Hotels, according to a release on the Press Trust of India website. "This transformative project, backed by more than $120 million (Rs 1,000 crore) investment, aims to create jobs for 800 individuals, offer crucial infrastructure for the city's growth, and establish Surat as the commercial capital of Gujarat," said D.J. Rama, director of GJHM and president and CEO of Auro Hotels. "Aspiring to be a 'Smart City,' this strategic investment underscores Gujarat JHM's commitment to fostering inclusive development. Surat is poised to emerge as a beacon of urban advancement, seamlessly combining financial strength with technological innovation."

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING points are becoming a standard amenity at hotels, akin to the rise of Wi-Fi in the early 2000s. Benefits for the hotel owners and franchisers can include additional revenue, carbon credits as well as attracting guests from the growing number of electric vehicle drivers. A 2022 Green Lodging survey by the American Hotel and Lodging Association revealed a surge in the deployment of EV chargers within the hospitality sector, with 26.6 percent of all U.S. hotels equipped with charging stations. The EV charging facilities are more commonly found at luxury hotels (nearly 90 percent offer them), while only about one in five limited-service hotels provides charging, representing significant growth opportunities. Hotel brands such as Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, BWH Hotel Group, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Choice Hotels International, Hyatt Hotel Corp. and G6 Hospitality have prioritized deploying EV charging based on customer preferences. Their franchisees have begun incorporating EV charging infrastructures into their properties. "We've heard from our owners that offering EV charging solutions is increasingly influential for guests when choosing hotels," said Brian McGuiness, IHG's senior vice president of global guest experience. "This is backed by our observation of guests using EVC filters on the IHG One Rewards mobile app and website. Our integrated EV-charger search filter within the IHG One Rewards mobile app allows travelers to easily find properties with EV charging capabilities, empowering them to plan their journeys conveniently and confidently."

Dubai's Economy Is On Boom And You Will Be Able To Get Good Job There When You Hold Dubai Work Visa And A Valid Passport With You.

Recognised as the most punctual airport in the UK, London City Airport (LCY) has received consent to extend its aviation capacity under a £200m ($310m) expansion programme. The airport submitted a planning application to the London Borough of Newham for the City Airport Development Programme (CADP) to expand its current infrastructure, in September 2013.