Percipia Collaborates With Amazon’s Alexa Smart Properties Hospitality to Launch VIVA+
PERCIPIA | September 16, 2024
The Top 7 Pain Points in Hospitality Procurement and How to Overcome Them
Johannes Vocke | July 24, 2024
Technology
EB-5 Finance Lawyer: Tips to Avoid the 6 Most Common Mistakes Developers Make With EB-5
Jim Butler | August 1, 2017
By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com 01 August 2017 EB-5 generates billions of dollars of affordable construction financing for developments located in the United States that create new jobs for US citizens. JMBM's EB-5 financing group has closed more than $1.5 billion of EB-5 financing for our clients' development projects, and we sourced more than half of that amount. Although there are many exciting success stories, we see developers frequently blundering into a small number of easily avoided mistakes, which can be very costly. So here is our short list of the mistakes an...
Marriott’s Arne Sorenson and STR’s Randy Smith to Be Inducted into U.S. Travel Hall of Leaders
OTO Development | July 28, 2017
WASHINGTON (July 28, 2017)—Longtime industry leaders Arne Sorenson and Randy Smith have been selected as the 2017 inductees into the U.S. Travel Hall of Leaders, the single highest and most revered honor an individual in the travel community can receive. Sorenson, president and CEO of Marriott International and current Chairman of U.S. Travel's CEO Roundtable, and Smith, co-founder and chairman of data and analytics firm STR, will be honored during a November 14 dinner among more than 100 industry leaders at U.S. Travel's fall board meeting in Washington, D.C. Distinguished individuals are named to U.S. Travel's Hall o...
Evolving in a Digital World Where Convenience is the New Loyalty
Nancy Huang | July 28, 2017
At a recent HSMAI event in London, keynote speaker Steven Van Belleghem spoke to local hoteliers about the role of digital in the human-centric hospitality industry. Entitled "When Digital Becomes Human," the presentation challenged hoteliers to think about digital would evolve and the role it would play in consumer decision-making. In his keynote, Van Belleghem made a bold claim: digital has changed consumer expectations so much that convenience is now what drives customer loyalty—not love for any particular brand. The case of Booking.com Van Belleghem made a point to ask the hoteliers how many of them loved Booking.com—and...
Hoperator Launches Messaging Guest Relations Manager
Hoperator | July 27, 2017
Hoperator combines live chat and guest messaging for independently owned travel and hospitality businesses. Hoperator's co-founders Michael Foltz and Chris Douglas noticed that OTA's (online travel agencies) dominate paid and organic search, and many independent businesses lack the financial resources and technical knowledge to market themselves competitively. Hoperator gives these businesses an edge by helping them utilize their key differentiator; their own customer service. Besides simplifying the booking process by bringing it directly into chat, Hoperator connects guests with staff throughout their stay, creating a virtual, on-dema...
OTAs and Hotels: Friend or Foe?
Ryan Sikorski | July 27, 2017
by Ryan Sikorski The relationship between online travel agencies (OTA) and hotels exists along a spectrum ranging from that of cooperation to one of acrimony. The tenor of interactions has historically shifted over time and has done so in each direction. The relationship between the two recently appears to be shifting away from cooperation toward antagonism and this shift perception is supported by recent hotel initiatives and potential legislation. Hotels losing increased control of their bookings as OTAs gain booking share and rising related transaction costs are primary drivers in the change of this relationship. In terms of historic...
StayNTouch Reveals 7 Questions to Ask Every Hotel Technology Provider Before You Say YES! [CHECKLIST]
StayNTouch | July 27, 2017
Rather than prioritizing cost in their provider selection, hoteliers should look for expertise, implementation, mobility, integrations, flexibility, support, and innovation to help fulfill their growing needs Bethesda, MD (July 27, 2017) – A new checklist has been launched by StayNTouch®, to help hoteliers make the right choice when investing in a new hotel solution. The checklist, titled, 7 Questions to Ask Every Hotel Technology Provider Before You Say YES! was developed to enable lodging companies of all sizes to make better decisions as they consider moving to a new property management system or other hotel solution. Despi...
Do Keywords Still Matter in SEO for Hotels?
Matt Tutt | July 26, 2017
By Matt Tutt In the last few years, digital marketers have debated the importance of keywords in an SEO strategy. To understand this debate, we'll need to step back and briefly look at the history of SEO. The meta keyword tag was introduced back in 1995, first popularized by search engines such as Infoseek and AltaVista. Placed alongside the meta title and meta description tags in the <head> section of a website, the meta keyword tags were important indicators to early search engines as to what kind of content a webpage contained. Example of keywords used in meta tag Back then search engines weren't clever enough to be able to in...
Now Available for Download: HEBStrategy Q3 2017 Hotel Digital Marketing, Technology, and Trends Whitepaper
HEBS Digital | July 26, 2017
HEBS Digital's third installment in 2017 of "HEBStrategy," a series of whitepapers that cover the latest news and trends in hotel digital marketing and technology, is now available for download! The HEBStrategy Q3 edition assesses the climate of the hospitality industry, explores creative approaches to brand loyalty and guest recognition programs, and highlights key findings hoteliers should be mindful of in auditing their hotel digital marketing strategies. Download the HEBStrategy Q3 2017 whitepaper to learn about: What's Trending in Hospitality: Stay up-to-date on what will affect hoteliers over the next few months, including A...
Who’s Afraid of Google?
Stuart Pallister | July 26, 2017
By Stuart Pallister Google, whose mantra used to be 'Don't be evil' (until it dropped it for the motto 'Do the right thing'), is almost omnipresent in our lives these days. We use it for all sorts of online searches, whether it's trying to access arcane information or find our way from A to B. The European Commission though recently took the giant to task --- slapping a 2.4 billion euro anti-trust fine on the internet giant at the end of June, following a seven-year competition investigation. It concluded that Google had "denied other companies the chance to compete" by placing its own comparison shopping service prominently and demotin...
Red Planet Hotels Begins Building Its Empire with SiteMinder
SiteMinder | July 26, 2017
Dallas, USA – Eight months after receiving a multi-million dollar investment to accelerate its expansion throughout Asia, Red Planet Hotels, the fast-growing Pan-Asian budget hotel chain, today reveals it has begun building its empire with the help of the global hotel industry's leading cloud platform, SiteMinder. Red Planet Hotels owns and operates 24 hotels in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan, and says employing the market's most powerful distribution technology is necessary to sell rooms that over the next two years will see exponential growth in numbers. The company's expansion roadmap includes the opening of fou...
Rainmaker Continues Strong Growth Trajectory with Record Setting First Half of 2017
Rainmaker | July 26, 2017
Leading provider of revenue and profit optimization software for the hospitality industry continues high growth momentum during first half of 2017 ALPHARETTA, GA – July 26, 2017 – The Rainmaker Group (Rainmaker), the hotel revenue and profit optimization cloud, experienced record setting growth through the first half of 2017, adding to its momentum in becoming the de facto standard in hotel revenue management software and services. Since January 2017 Rainmaker has expanded its reach in the number of properties using its platform, with a 41% increase in grouprev® and 21% increases in both guestrev® and revintel®....
Provenance Hotels Chooses IDeaS G3 RMS to Advance Revenue Strategy in 2017
Provenance Hotels | July 26, 2017
Growing hospitality management company transitions portfolio to IDeaS G3 RMS MINNEAPOLIS – July 26, 2017 – IDeaS Revenue Solutions, the leading provider of revenue management software solutions and advisory services, is delighted to announce the expansion of its relationship with innovative hospitality management company, Provenance Hotels. With increasingly elevated revenue management opportunities achieving consistent market share growth of 3 percent – and a partnership with IDeaS that spans back to 2012 – it was an easy decision for Provenance Hotels to continue their long-standing relationship with IDeaS. Wit...
Sabre Names Clinton Anderson as President, Hospitality Solutions
Sabre | July 25, 2017
Southlake, Texas, July 25, 2017 – Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), the leading technology provider to the global travel industry, today named Clinton Anderson as president of Sabre Hospitality Solutions, effective Aug. 7. He will succeed Alex Alt who has accepted an executive position at another company. "Clinton has demonstrated his tremendous value and executive skills leading initiatives and taking on strategic projects across the company over the past three years, working effectively with customers and employees alike," said Sean Menke, Sabre's president and CEO. "Having someone of Clinton's caliber already on the Sabre team ...
Minor Hotels Partner with CRM Leader, Cendyn
Minor Hotels | July 25, 2017
Cendyn selected to enhance their guest engagement and loyalty strategy across all brands Boca Raton, Florida – July 25, 2017 – Cendyn, the leading CRM and sales platform in the hospitality industry, has been selected as the partner of choice for Minor Hotels, a diverse spectrum of hotel chains and brands connected to the needs and desires of today's global travelers. Cendyn was selected by Minor Hotels to help drive loyalty and improve engagement with their guests to deliver the right communication, to the right guest, at the right time. Using unrivalled connectivity to third party vendors, reporting and analytics, Cendyn w...
HotelTap Workplace Cloud Communication Tool Now Available as Mobile App
HotelTap | July 25, 2017
Mobile iOS and Android Apps deliver instant notifications to housekeeping and maintenance staff to increase staff productivity and provide cost savings through operational efficiencies Alameda, Calif. — July 25, 2017] —Today owners and operators of limited-service hotels with 50+ rooms are communicating with staff and responding to guest requests faster and easier than ever before now that the HotelTap "digital log book in the cloud" is available as a Mobile App for Apple and Android devices, as well as Amazon tablets. HotelTap replaces notebooks, paper tickets, sticky notes, internal emails, spreadsheets, text mes...
HEBS Digital Wins “Best of Show” Summit Creative Award for the LUMA Hotel Times Square Website
HEBS Digital | July 25, 2017
Summary: HEBS Digital is the recipient of 4 Summit Creative Award distinctions for 2017, including "Best of Show" in the Travel/Tourism/Nature Website category for the LUMA Hotel Times Square website design. NEW YORK, NY — July 25, 2017 — HEBS Digital announces it was awarded "Best of Show," the Summit Creative Awards' highest distinction, in the Tourism Website category for its design of the LUMA Hotel Times Square website. The Summit Creative Awards recognizes outstanding advertising and digital work by agencies across the globe. HEBS Digital was also awarded the following distinctions: Bronze: Arlo Hotels Banner Ad (Onl...
Software as a Service? Better Focus on the Service!
July 25, 2017
Jos Schaap, CEO and Founder, StayNTouch Software as a Service is just that - a service. It is a distribution model whereby a software development company can license and deliver its product to clients via the Internet. Seems fairly simple really. However, there is a great deal of complexity running in the background. The provider of the Saas product oversees managing these complexities. The delivery and use of a SaaS solution alleviates the burden of having to run machines, interface computers, etc. on the property thus decreasing the costs and the failure rate. According to Gartner, the worldwide market for public cloud services will b...
From on-Demand Champagne to Mountaintop Yoga Class, New Concepts of Luxury Are Changing What High-End Travelers Expect
Sabre | July 25, 2017
New research shows how evolving definitions of 'luxury' and 'status' are altering travelers' preferences and expectations of service SOUTHLAKE, Texas – July 25, 2017 – As the world's ideas of wealth and status change, travelers' ideas of luxury are changing to match. High-end travelers increasingly choose subtle indulgence over flashy logos and conspicuous consumption. And they're gravitating toward travel that enables them to live out their personal values and fulfill their dreams through exclusive experiences. In this new landscape, "luxury travel" can mean flying by helicopter to a remote desert peak for an exclusive yoga...
Casino Pauma Chooses Agilysys Inventory and Procurement Solution to Reduce Costs and Boost Efficiency
Agilysys | July 25, 2017
Southern California Tribal Gaming Property Selects Industry-Leading Stratton Warren System ALPHARETTA, GA. — July 25, 2017 — Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading global provider of next-generation hospitality software solutions and services, today announced that Casino Pauma in Pauma Valley, Calif., has selected the Stratton Warren System (SWS) inventory and procurement solution to streamline its foodservice operation. The agreement continues Agilysys's expansion in the tribal gaming market. Casino Pauma, which boasts more than 35,000 square feet of gaming space, is open 24 hours a day and hosts thousands of guests each ...
The Human Live Chat Revolution for Hotels is About to Begin…And It’s a Good Thing.
Lodging Interactive | July 24, 2017
PARSIPPANY, NJ – July 25, 2017 Lodging Interactive, an award winning digital marketing and social media engagement agency exclusively serving the hospitality industry, predicts that the way hotels engage with consumers online is about to change and that hoteliers can expects total disruption ahead. Online consumer engagement disruption is a good thing for hoteliers who want to increase their website direct bookings and minimize their OTA contributions. "The progression towards live chat services for hotels is natural and expected. Consumers have already become accustomed to communicating with their banks, cable companies and cell...
Cendyn Joins the Cloud Security Alliance
Cloud Security Alliance | July 24, 2017
Cendyn's corporate membership with Cloud Security Alliance reinforces commitment to cloud security Boca Raton, Florida – July 24, 2017 – Cendyn, the leading customer relationship management (CRM) and sales platform in the hospitality industry, has today announced they have joined the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA). This membership with the CSA reinforces Cendyn's long-standing commitment and heritage with cloud and data security across all its products. The CSA is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to promote the use of best practices for providing security assurance within Cloud Computing, and to provide education ...
Hotel Cybersecurity: Protecting Your Guests and Your Property from Vendor Data Breaches
Bob Braun | July 24, 2017
By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com 24 July 2017 Hotels rely on third-party vendors to help run their properties efficiently, and often must give them access to sensitive guest data. This leaves hotels vulnerable to cyber attacks; they're only as secure as their vendors are, and may find themselves directly liable for a data breach. My partner Bob Braun, senior member of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® and co-chair of JMBM's Cybersecurity and Privacy Group, discusses recent hotel cybersecurity breaches and how hotel owners can protect themselves. Hotel data breaches I...
Chatbots in the Hospitality Industry
Abdulrahman Jogbojogbo | July 24, 2017
by Abdulrahman Jogbojogbo The premise of a chatbot is simple - automate communication and act as a window to access a service. In the hospitality industry, one which is built around making the customer alpha, communication and information transactions must be smart, swift, insightful and analysable. Chatbots are hence the perfect tool for this type of communication and service provision. They live in messaging apps where today's internet user spends a significant portion of his time, they are also cheap in the long run and can provide deep insights into customer preferences that can greatly improve offerings for the the customer, the al...
Angie Hospitality CEO Tapped by HTNG for Asia-Pacific Conference Panel on Voice Technology
Angie Hospitality | July 24, 2017
San Jose, CA – July 24, 2017 – Angie Hospitality, creator of Angie, the world's first 24-hour interactive guest room assistant, Wi-Fi and room control technology solution built for hotels and resorts, has been selected to participate in a panel discussion at the HTNG Asia-Pacific Conference, taking place July 25 to July 27 at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore. Angie Hospitality's CEO, Ted Helvey, will serve as a key panelist on the "Hello Alexa...New Voices in the Guestroom Experience" session on Wednesday, July 26 from 11:20 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in Tower B of the hotel. During this informative session, conference attendees wi...
