Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino Partners With Travel Outlook to Elevate Guest Service Experience
Travel Outlook, The Premier Hotel Call Center™ | October 2, 2024
Debunking Common Myths About AI: Why Human Hotel Staff Are Still Irreplaceable
John Smallwood, President of Travel Outlook | September 17, 2024
Operations
Adrift Hospitality Streamlines Guest & Staff Experience at 6 Boutique Hotels With StayNTouch Guest-Centric Cloud PMS
StayNTouch | September 1, 2021
Adrift Hospitality, a collection of socially-conscious coastal boutique hotels located in the Pacific Northwest, partners with StayNTouch, a global leader in guest-centric technology and cloud hotel property management systems (PMS) to streamline the guest and staff experince at their 6 independent properties across Washington state and Oregon. Adrift Hospitality was founded in 2004 with the goal of creating a unique and authentic guest experience, while also creating a positive and sustainable impact on their community and planet. Adrift chose StayNTouch’s cloud and mobile PMS for its intuitive interface and extensive functionality, as ...
Travel Outlook Launches ExpressRez®, an Innovative and Affordable Call Center for Inns and B&Bs
Travel Outlook Premium Hotel Call Center | August 26, 2021
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO (August 26, 2021): Travel Outlook Premium Hotel Call Center (“Travel Outlook”) announces the launch of ExpressRez®, an affordable voice reservations service for inns, bed and breakfasts, and vacation rental management companies. ExpressRez® is a simplified and cost-effective service to enable any small property to optimize voice reservations, enhance customer service, and maximize call conversion. ExpressRez® (US Patent 10,257,358) resulted from Travel Outlook addressing challenges faced by inns and B&Bs that want to use a third-party central reservations service in an original and sophisticated way. The ...
Human Interaction – The Hallmark of a Luxury Travel Experience
Travel Outlook | August 25, 2021
In an Increasingly Digital World, The Importance of Human Interaction Remains High in the Hospitality Industry The last year has changed the way the world operates, and obviously, the travel industry has been impacted significantly. Now that 2020 is behind us, the industry has been reignited, with the demand for travel soaring to new heights. If you’ve flown recently, you would have noticed that airports are once again full of life. All types of travelers are taking to the skies and the road in search of much-needed adventure and relaxation. Travelers embarking on their first trip since 2020 will notice that many aspects have chan...
Meyer Jabara Hotels Opens Development Office in Nashville
Meyer Jabara Hotels | August 24, 2021
Located at Studios at Fountains, the new development hub will further the hotel management and ownership group’s growth in the Southeast; Four new deals already in the pipeline Danbury, Conn. — August 24, 2021 — To capitalize on the expansive development opportunities in the Southeast, Meyer Jabara Hotels recently opened a new office in Murfreesboro, Tenn., located at 1500 Medical Center Parkway in the Studio at Fountains. Led by Vice President of Development Richard Sprecher, the management and ownership group is expecting to get a lot of deals done in this thriving market. Within the first few weeks of opening, four deals have be...
ProfitSword Establishes New Headquarters Following Rapid Market Growth and Increased Demand for Business Intelligence Solutions
ProfitSword, LLC | August 24, 2021
Leading innovator of business intelligence technology for hotels relocates headquarters as part of strategy to spur even greater growth and in order to better serve industry recovery efforts. Alpharetta, GA – August 24, 2021 – ProfitSword, a premier developer of business intelligence and data integration software, is proud to announce the relocation of its corporate headquarters to a spacious new facility in Alpharetta, Georgia. The newly established headquarters follows ProfitSword’s impressive market growth over the last year as more hoteliers leverage the value of enhanced business intelligence functionality in shielding their opera...
The Herald of a Las Vegas Renaissance With Resorts World
Larry and Adam Mogelonsky | August 18, 2021
By Larry and Adam Mogelonsky There are big hotel projects and then there are even bigger projects. Resorts World Las Vegas tops even that threshold. Just imagine a project covering 88 acres, over 3,000 guestrooms, three separate hotel marques (Hilton, Conrad and Crockfords), five pool experiences, a massive spa, 40 restaurants and bars and gaming, with a total investment of over $4.3 billion. And, for good measure, add in constructing this through the COVID pandemic! I was honored that Max Tappeiner, Senior Vice President of Operations at Resorts World Las Vegas, had time for a video call just shortly after opening. It was clear from th...
StayNTouch Expands to Gulf Region, Selected by Riyadh Based Hotel Management Company, IRIS Hotels
StayNTouch | August 18, 2021
IRIS Hotels, one of Saudi Arabia’s premier hotel development and management companies, selected StayNTouch, a global leader in guest-centric technology and mobile hotel property management systems (PMS), to implement their PMS technology at the collection of the boutique hotels in Jizan, Taif, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This partnership marks StayNTouch’s first hotel customer in Saudi Arabia and an expansion into the Gulf region. Founded in 2011, IRIS Hotels is a premier, full-scope hotel management, acquisition and development company headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and centered around six major brands 一 IRIS Hotel, IRIS Boutiq...
What Is SOP – Standard Operating Procedure?
Franck Louveau | August 12, 2021
By Franck Louveau When you have an idea to start a business, you create a business plan to describe the goals of your company and how you plan to reach them. From your marketing plan and financial information to employees, equipment needed, and planned methods of operations – a solid business plan is a clear roadmap of what your successful business will look like. When it is time for your business to finally open, or in some cases, when it has been in business long enough for a tried-and-true testing of operational procedures, it is then time for you to create a SOP for the business. What is SOP for the Hospitalit...
Cloudbeds Partners With Rakuten Travel Xchange to Extend Reach
Cloudbeds | August 12, 2021
Cloudbeds Hospitality Management Platform collaborates with Rakuten Travel Xchange to drive global hotel distribution. San Diego, CA – August 12, 2021 – Cloudbeds, the fastest growing hospitality management platform today, announced a partnership with Rakuten Travel Xchange, the hotel wholesale and travel technology division within the Rakuten Group. The collaboration connects Cloudbeds with Rakuten Travel, the highly ranked OTA in Japan, and 400+ B2B partners connected worldwide through API connections, travel agent portals, and websites. The unique and diverse distribution channels allow Cloudbeds to extend its reach to the extensive ...
Peermont Resorts Teams With INTELITY to Upgrade Guest Experience Brand-Wide
INTELITY | August 12, 2021
The luxury African hotel, resort, and casino group will deploy the INTELITY platform across all properties to modernize service with mobile, contactless technology Los Angeles, CA (Aug. 12, 2021) - INTELITY®, the developer of hospitality’s most comprehensive guest experience and staff management platform, announced today it has signed a new deal with Peermont Resorts, facilitated by South African reseller partner Nu Menu Solutions. As part of the deal, all twelve Peermont properties will deploy the INTELITY platform, including a brand app, mobile check-in, mobile key, and staff technology in an innovative overhaul of their operations an...
Curator Hotel & Resort Collection Selects React Mobile as Its Preferred Provider of Employee Safety Devices
Curator Hotel & Resort Collection | August 11, 2021
BETHESDA, Maryland and SEATTLE, Washington — August 11, 2021 — React Mobile, the most trusted provider of hotel panic button solutions, and Curator Hotel & Resort Collection (“Curator”) today announced a partnership agreement that enables hotels in the Collection to use React Mobile’s best-in-class safety device platform to keep their employees safe. Hoteliers within Curator can deploy React Mobile’s GPS geolocation and Bluetooth beacon technology to provide unparalleled accuracy to locate an employee in distress. The company has the largest hotel customer base of any panic button technology. “Curator is pleased...
The Carver Companies Expands to Meet Industry Staffing Demand
The Carver Companies | August 11, 2021
ATLANTA, GA – August 10, 2021 – The Carver Companies, North America’s largest task force agency with over 3,000 independent consultants, recently increased their bandwidth by adding new National Account Managers Jennifer Goodwell, Bryon Bartlett and Keesla Blay-Miezah, as well as Accounting Manager Tammy James, and Marketing and Social Media Manager Faiz Aly. In their new positions, the national account managers will help pair consultants with the increasing needs of hotel clients. Jennifer Goodwell has more than 20 years of experience in the hotel industry as a sales leader for multiple brands. She’s familiar with the lifes...
Gender Diversity in Leadership: How to Solve the Problem When You Can’t See It?
Dr Sowon Kim | August 10, 2021
Dr. Sowon Kim A presentation of research findings that confirm significant gender differences in diversity of leadership roles, specifically in perception when it comes to understanding why women occupy so few professional leadership roles. Leadership diversity affects the bottom line Women currently represent 70% of the hospitality industry’s workforce (Baum, 2015). Yet, by the end of 2020, only 17% of business leaders at the executive level were women and only 6% of CEOs were women (European Women on Boards, 2020). Leadership diversity matters because it affects the bottom line. A recent study revealed that co...
Meyer Jabara Hotels Unveils Enterprise Technology Initiative
Meyer Jabara Hotels | August 10, 2021
Management company and ownership group selects Altec, Ceridian, Kalibri Labs, ProfitSword, and SNAPPY solutions to fortify operations and better serve its valued employees Danbury, Conn. — August 10, 2021 — At a time when many hotel companies continue to cut costs and operate with reduced teams, Meyer Jabara Hotels is investing in its people and properties by adding technologies that will help its 29 U.S. hotels streamline their business processes and expand on the services available to associates. Through strategic partnerships with Altec, Ceridian, Kalibri Labs, ProfitSword, and Snappy, Meyer Jabara Hotels will be deploying solutions...
UniFocus Partners With Rain to Deliver No-Cost Financial Benefits to Frontline Employees
UniFocus | August 5, 2021
Industry leaders in workforce optimization solutions and on-demand payment team up to equip employers with solution to help attract and retain frontline workers with meaningful benefits. DALLAS, TX— August 5, 2021—UniFocus, the leading provider of Workforce Management Systems, today announced a partnership with Rain, a global leader in financial wellness, to deliver employers a solution that equips employees, both hourly and salaried, with more control over their pay and finances. Addressing rising concerns about costs of accessing wages, unbanked staff, and high turnover rates, UniFocus will integrate Rain’s on-demand, automated pay...
Innisfree Hotels Chooses StayNTouch to Deliver Guest-Centric Mobile PMS Across 5 Independent Properties
StayNTouch | August 5, 2021
Innisfree Hotels, an owner and operator of both full and focused service properties throughout the United States, selects StayNTouch, a global leader in guest-centric technology and mobile hotel property management systems (PMS), as the PMS provider for their 5 independent Gulf Coast Properties, totaling more than 590 rooms. Innisfree is currently the largest beachfront hotel owner-operator on the Gulf Coast, with over 3,191 hotel rooms, $800 million of assets under management, and $175 million in annual hotel revenue. Innisfree chose StayNTouch to implement an intuitive mobile PMS across their independent portfolio, facilitate more effici...
SHR Data Shows Record Direct Website Demand and Increased Conversion Rates
SHR | August 4, 2021
Hotels using the Windsurfer Booking Engine saw a combined record 3.3 million visitors in June 2021 and 3.4% of those travelers converted into bookings. HOUSTON, August 4, 2021 — Hotels using the Windsurfer Booking Engine from SHR, Sceptre Hospitality Resources, saw a record amount of traffic to their direct websites in June 2021 and converted 3.4% of that traffic, higher than most reported industry averages. Hotels have seen demand – mainly from leisure guests – creep up slowly but surely since the beginning of the year. But very few hoteliers predicted demand would rebound so quickly to higher levels than ever before. The 3.3 mil...
The New Wave of Brand Loyalty
Travel Outlook | August 3, 2021
How Your Hotel’s Voice Channel Can Influence and Shape Traveler’s Buying Behavior Travel has gone through a year of unprecedented challenges. 2020 was, without a doubt, the single most difficult year in the hospitality industry in recent history. With that behind us, we enter unchartered waters where anything is possible. Now, as travel emerges from a slumber, hoteliers have a unique opportunity to reshape customers' purchasing habits that were all but forgotten. Travelers, like all consumers, are habitually minded. Changing a person’s purchasing behavior is no easy task. Habits dictate nearly half of every decision we make, an...
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Announces Over $40 Million of Committed Investment Into Microtel by Wyndham and La Quinta by Wyndham Brands
Microtel by Wyndham | August 3, 2021
PARSIPPANY, N.J. - Aug. 3, 2021 - Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world's largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,000 hotels across nearly 95 countries, today announced its new Microtel Lift Incentive Program. This landmark program is being introduced on the heels of a successful renovation incentive program for La Quinta by Wyndham, known as the LQUp Incentive Program, and further solidifies Wyndham's dedication and support for its franchisees. With a committed investment of over $40 million over the next three years, these two programs help owners continue to raise the brands' profiles, while enhancing the guest experience ...
Accor to Operate the Anticipated Lifestyle Hotel, Artista San Antonio, Developed by Harris Bay Under The Morgans Originals Portfolio
ACCOR | July 27, 2021
LOS ANGELES - July 27, 2021 - Accor, a world-leading hospitality group, today announced a strategic agreement to manage and operate Artista San Antonio with San Antonio-based developer Harris Bay, set to open in July 2023. The hotel will operate under Accor's newest lifestyle brand, Morgans Originals. Built on the heritage of lifestyle hospitality, Morgans Originals properties provide much more than a conventional hotel experience, offering the very best in food, mixology, design and atmosphere. This news comes on the heels of Accor's latest phase of expansion following its acquisition of sbe's hotel brands and its planned joint ventur...
An Old Soul With a Fresh Twist, Crystalbrook Kingsley Embraces Technology and Sustainability With Solutions From McLaren Technologies
McLaren Technologies Asia Pacific | July 20, 2021
Sophisticated and with a nod to the area’s history, the new hotel is offering a fully contactless and paperless guest experience. Sydney, Australia (July 20, 2021) - A commitment to responsible luxury by Newcastle’s first five-star hotel, Crystalbrook Kingsley, has prompted a partnership with Asia Pacific’s leading hospitality solution specialist, McLaren Technologies. The new hotel was keen to embrace mobile-first guest experience technology and environmental change to enhance, not compromise, the quality of its guest experience. The new hotel, which opened its doors on June 9, worked with McLaren to tailor its approach to techno...
UniFocus Upgrades Employee Engagement Surveys to Deliver Instant and Frequent Insights Into Hotel Performance
UniFocus | July 20, 2021
Innovator of workforce management technology provides hoteliers with real-time and actionable feedback into how to maximize staff retention and engagement. DALLAS, Texas – (July 20, 2021) – UniFocus, the leading provider of workforce management systems, has launched upgrades to employee pulse survey capabilities, providing hoteliers with an invaluable opportunity to connect to and interpret employee engagement. Sidestepping time-consuming processes associated with annual employee surveys, the new staff engagement abilities now made available through UniFocus ensure that hoteliers can continually and accurately gauge their operating env...
Hotel Call Centers and Storytelling
Travel Outlook | July 15, 2021
How Independent Hotel Call Centers are Outshining Many Hotel Brands Using Customer Feedback When you think of call centers, your first thoughts may be of elevator music hold tunes, generic pre-recorded dial-in options, and of course, insincere agents. When it comes to properly trained hotel call centers, that could not be further from the truth. As I’ve written in a previous story, The Return to Genuine Hospitality, call centers and call center agents are valuable tools for hoteliers that have the potential to increase bookings significantly, while freeing up hotel staff to focus on the current guests' experiences. Additionally, p...
Vacation Ownership Management Group SunStream Hotels & Resorts Making a Strong Comeback With Maestro Cloud PMS
Maestro PMS | July 13, 2021
Maestro’s complete property-management system is streamlining operations for seven of SunStream’s Southwest Florida properties, from owner reservation controls to accounting, and adding more with plans to completely digitalize the entire guest journey Markham, Ontario — July 13, 2021 — Although the pandemic has disrupted travel, the vacation rental market is strong. SunStream Hotels & Resorts, operator of eight condo hotels in Southwest Florida, is seeing high occupancy rates with all properties in Fort Myers Beach, Naples, and The Everglades surpassing budget projections and outpacing revenues from prior years. Helping this con...
