Percipia Collaborates With Amazon’s Alexa Smart Properties Hospitality to Launch VIVA+
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Technology
Winning the Direct Booking: A 2017 Action Plan to Combat the Effect of Airbnb on Your Hotel’s Bottom Line
the Author and HeBS Digital | January 11, 2017
By Margaret Mastrogiacomo It's no secret that Airbnb has drastically disrupted the travel industry and has positioned itself as a unique and local online travel agency for travel consumers. Yet, while Airbnb paves the way for a new niche in travel, the industry player is disrupting hospitality and affecting a hotel's bottom line in a major way. In these times of flat and even negative occupancy projections, and Airbnb satisfying a portion of the travel demand, hoteliers must fight for every guest inclined to stay at an Airbnb rental. Airbnb is taking 10-12% of travel demand in New York City, Paris, London and other major global metropol...
What Hotels Can Learn From the Airbnb CEO’s Twitter Exchange about What Guests Want
ALICE | January 11, 2017
When Airbnb's CEO asked his Twitter community for their Airbnb product wish list, what he got was a comprehensive look at what guests want from lodging today. by Alex Shashou When Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky asked his Twitter followers for Airbnb product recommendations in the late hours of Christmas day, Chesky said he expected about 10 people to respond. Instead, some 2,200 people offered their suggestions, with product recommendations still coming in. Chesky spent the rest of the 25th, and then many hours on subsequent days, responding to input from users. The Airbnb CEO facilitated a wide-ranging conversation about short and longer-ter...
Sabre Announces Two Senior Executives to Lead Product Management and APAC Region for Its Hospitality Business
Sabre | January 10, 2017
SOUTHLAKE, Texas – Jan. 10, 2017 – Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), the leading technology provider to the global travel industry, today announced the appointment of two executives for strategic roles in its hospitality business. Brian Jorgenson will serve as senior vice president of product management and Frank Trampert will lead Sabre's hospitality business in Asia Pacific. In his new role, Jorgenson will be responsible for maintaining Sabre's leadership in Central Reservations and distribution solutions, while building upon the SynXis Enterprise Platform to expand Sabre's property management, guest experience, retailing ...
Hotel Internet Services In-room Access Point White Paper Offers Expert Insight on Implementing Fast, Reliable and Affordable Guestroom Wi-Fi
Hotel Internet Services, Inc. | January 10, 2017
Newly released report guides hoteliers on best practices for implementing in-room AP based networks, while dispelling common industry myths. Clearwater, Florida — January 10, 2016 — Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of Internet services and solutions for the hospitality industry, has announced the release of a comprehensive new white paper, outlining how hoteliers can finally affordably implement Wi-Fi networks that are capable of meeting today's increasingly high guest needs and expectations. With a growing number of studies indicating the extreme importance that today's tech-savvy guests place on free ...
5 Technologies The Hotel Industry Can’t Afford To Ignore In 2017
January 10, 2017
Jos Schaap, CEO, StayNTouch It's that time of year again where we all get bombarded with a myriad of articles that focus on emerging trends related to the hotel industry in the coming year. Some of these articles are fascinating, while some just reiterate what most of us already know. Mobile is important, ubiquitous in-room technology is a requirement, not a nice to have and yes, you may be able to unlock doors with mobile check in. What are the primary examples of technologies that will impact the hotel industry in 2017? Technology is an enabler. It helps us communicate more effectively; it helps us drive our businesses to greater heig...
Digital Signage Expo 2017 to Offer Educational Opportunities in Digital Signage for Hotel Operators, System Administrators, Marketers and Technologist
DSE | January 10, 2017
Atlanta – Digital Signage Expo (DSE), the world's largest international trade show and educational conference dedicated to digital displays, interactive technology and digital communications networks will present new educational opportunities designed specifically for hotel operators system administrators and technologists March 28-30, 2017, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The seminar programs are part of DSE's Educational Conference designed to help attendees learn about the newest technologies available, how successful digital signage strategies are being implemented, and how to best take advantage of them to strengthen gues...
The World’s 42nd Largest Hotel Chain, Barceló Hotels & Resorts, Signs With SiteMinder
SiteMinder | January 10, 2017
Dallas, US - The global hotel industry's leading cloud platform, SiteMinder, today announces it has secured 109 properties belonging to Barceló Hotels & Resorts, the third largest hotel chain in Spain and the 42nd largest in the world. The win adds nearly 33,000 hotel rooms to SiteMinder's distribution network one week ahead of FITUR, the world's tourism trade fair for the Ibero American markets, where SiteMinder will be exhibiting for the third consecutive year. Speaking on the decision to adopt SiteMinder's technology, Barceló Hotels & Resorts' head of e-distribution, Albert Santin, says, "SiteMinder has provided...
HotelREZ Hotels & Resorts Adopts Sabre’s Hospitality Solutions to Provide Customers with Industry-Leading Reservation Technology
HotelREZ | January 9, 2017
LONDON and SOUTHLAKE, Texas – Jan. 9, 2017 – HotelREZ Hotels & Resorts has completed the migration of its member hotels to Sabre's SynXis Central Reservations and device responsive booking engine, securing its ability to provide more than 1,000 HotelREZ customers with access to Sabre's industry-leading technology. Sabre's broad portfolio of hospitality solutions empowers hoteliers to create and deliver a unique and differentiating guest experience based on their specific brand. "Our customers rely on us to provide them with access to the very best technology available in the marketplace so that we are able to focus on dr...
Hospitality Management Corporation Adds Holiday Inn Express® Irving DFW Airport North to Portfolio
Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC) | January 9, 2017
Dallas, TX – Leo Spriggs, President and CEO of Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC), is pleased to announce the addition of this 163-room Holiday Inn Express® in Irving, TX, to their portfolio of managed hotels. The company continues its ongoing business expansion which is made up of full service, conference center, select service and limited service hotels. HMC is one of the country's largest third-party privately held hotel management companies, ranked in the top 40 of all third party and owner operated hotel management corporations. The Holiday Inn Express DFW North is adjacent to DFW International Airport and offers co...
Intelity Rolls Out Enterprise Hotel Brand App for Pacific Hospitality Group’s Meritage Collection
Meritage Collection | January 9, 2017
ORLANDO, Fla. – Jan. 9, 2017 – Hospitality technology innovator Intelity will introduce a new mobile hotel brand application for the Meritage Collection, part of the Pacific Hospitality Group portfolio, that will include all properties. The application will run on Intelity's ICE guest engagement SaaS platform, the most widely used of its kind in the world with more than 5 million global hotel guest users served to date. Steve Arnold, president and COO of Pacific Hospitality Group, said, "We felt developing a brand-wide app for the Meritage Collection properties was a necessity given the current significance of mobile hospita...
SHR Developer of Windsurfer® CRS and Roomer Travel Announce Alliance to Drive Hotel Revenue and Enhance Guest Satisfaction using Life Happens™ Canc
SHR | January 9, 2017
HOUSTON, TX JANUARY 9, 2017—SHR, developer of the Windsurfer® CRS hotel reservation and distribution platform, today announced a partnership with Roomer Travel to offer Life Happens™, providing free added value to hotels utilizing its TopSail™ Internet Booking Engine (IBE). Life Happens™ is a revolutionary hotel cancellation protection that allows guests to cancel their non-refundable reservations and receive an 80% refund. At zero cost to hotels, the Life Happens™ integration into SHR's TopSail Internet Booking Engine empowers hotels to provide maximum flexibility to their guests without the risk of lo...
FCS Launches New Corporate Website with Streamlined Solutions and Enhanced Functionality
FCS | January 5, 2017
Redesigned web portal features mobile-friendly navigation and simplified product groupings with newly created informational videos. Singapore, 5 January, 2016 – FCS Computer Systems (FCS), a leading comprehensive hospitality solutions and services provider, is pleased to announce the launch of a fully redesigned corporate website aimed at providing visitors with all the tools needed to learn about the latest offerings in hotel operations technology. The new website features a restructured and streamlined grouping of FCS' comprehensive solutions portfolio that clearly demonstrates how each one functions to maximize efficiency with...
StayNTouch Partners With Modus Hotels
StayNTouch Inc. | January 5, 2017
Hotel group takes its collection mobile with StayNTouch's cloud-based PMS solutions Bethesda, MD – JANUARY 5, 2016 – StayNTouch, an innovator in mobile technology and Property Management Systems (PMS) for hotels, is pleased to announce it's partnership with Modus Hotels where it will deploy its Rover PMS™ and Zest™ products at seven Modus hotels in Washington, DC and Philadelphia, including: Avenue Suites Georgetown, The River Inn, The Normandy Hotel, Hotel Hive, One Washington Circle Hotel, Pod DC and the Windsor Suites. "Our hotel technology goal was two-fold: stay ahead of the innovation curve and leverage a m...
New York City’s Skyline Hotel Using ALICE for Back of House Insights and Front of House Peace of Mind
ALICE | January 4, 2017
New York, NY -- Hotel operations platform ALICE announces The Skyline Hotel, in New York City's storied Hells Kitchen, is using ALICE for back of house insights and front of house peace of mind. Before ALICE, The Skyline Hotel relied on manual records of staff activity and guest requests. This left many unknowns when it came to back of house operations, particularly in the realm of maintenance; the hotel had no records of service needs, and no organized way to know which products were working or not working, or how often things needed to be fixed. Because the ALICE platform is mobile and updates to requests can be made by any staff memb...
Kasikci’s Bentley Management Opens 2017 with New Directions, Clients and Projects
Jim Butler | January 4, 2017
By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group® Hotel Lawyers | Author of www.HotelLawBlog.com Recently, I had a delightful year-end lunch at the SoHo House with a remarkable man I have known and worked with about 25 years. I am very proud to call him my friend and include him amongst our "celebrity clients." When I first met this hotelier, he had recently left Four Seasons Newport Beach, and taken over the helm of the newly opened Beverly Hills Peninsula Hotel. With a hands-on intensity, he quickly turned around the financial performance at the hotel, earned the elusive 5 stars and 5 diamonds, and made the hotel the most profitable...
The Smart Hotelier’s 2017 Top Ten Digital Technology & Marketing Resolutions
the Authors and HeBS Digital | January 4, 2017
By Max Starkov and Mariana Safer Reflecting on 2016 and successful hotel digital marketing campaigns that impacted the industry, there was an obvious and substantial emphasis on 'Book Direct' strategies. Hoteliers have been testing out multiple strategies to increase bookings on their own websites, from loyalty member-only rates, special incentives, unique packages found only on the hotel website, and more. Why? With distribution costs rising steadily over the last five years due to OTAs increasing market share over 40% (vs. hotel direct bookings), hoteliers are starting to understand this is not a sustainable business model. In 20...
North American Hoteliers Prepare for Strong Q1 with Healthy Rate and Occupancy Gains
TravelClick | January 4, 2017
Hotel Performance Encouraging Heading into 2017 NEW YORK – January 4, 2017 – North American hoteliers are eager to ring in the New Year, according to new data from TravelClick's December 2016 North American Hospitality Review (NAHR). All travel segments are experiencing healthy rate and occupancy gains year-over-year, with occupancy increasing 5.0 percent and average daily rates (ADR) increasing 3.2 percent in the first quarter of 2017. The last quarter of 2016 shows positive, but tepid, growth across the board, with the group and transient leisure segments experiencing strong revenue per available room (RevPAR) growth at 2....
Data Proves Branded Hotel Vanity Sites Are Effective
Lodging Interactive | January 4, 2017
PARSIPPANY, NJ – January 4, 2017 It's been an ongoing mission of the major hotel brands to convince hotel management companies and hotel owners to "retire" their vanity websites. In fact, this has been going on for the last 15 years and the efforts have had marginal success for the brands. However, the brands have recently stepped up their efforts with more "forceful persuasions" this time around and have decided to pull out all stops in their efforts. Much has been written in the past on the revenue benefits vanity sites have for properties and the value they provide to potential guests. But we thought it would be worthwhile for ...
Portlander Inn Selects Next-Generation Agilysys Suite to Optimize Efficiency and Strengthen Guest Connections
Agilysys | January 3, 2017
Oregon Property Chooses Groundbreaking rGuest® Stay, rGuest® Pay Solutions ALPHARETTA, GA. — Jan. 3, 2017 — Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading global provider of next-generation hospitality software solutions and services, today announced that Portlander Inn in Portland, Ore. has selected its groundbreaking rGuest® Stay property management system and rGuest® Pay payment gateway to optimize efficiency, maximize revenue and enhance guest service. The executive team at Portlander Inn wanted property management technology that would address the entire guest lifecycle and offer visibility into all aspects of...
New Tilden Hotel Website Accentuates the Property’s Organic Aesthetic
HeBS Digital | January 2, 2017
Nestled in the historic Tenderloin District of San Francisco, Tilden Hotel welcomes guests to open, airy spaces, natural hues and raw materials. To greater reflect the aesthetic of the property and showcase the creative, authentic and varied elements found in this property's unique neighborhood, Tilden Hotel partnered with HeBS Digital to launch a user-friendly website. The new site features a striking, modern design which showcases the property's modern sensibility and stylish accents. The launch of this site helps Tilden Hotel adequately display information about the hotel and area with high-res photos and easy-to-use navigation - two...
How to Jumpstart Your Hotel’s Direct Bookings through Search Engine Marketing
HeBS Digital | December 28, 2016
By Mariana Safer and Carmine Fischetti The Hotel Yearbook has just released its 2017 Special Edition on Digital Marketing, featuring expert insight from hospitality industry leaders, and HeBS Digital is proud to be featured in this year's publication. In "Smart Data Marketing in Hospitality: The Secret to Maximizing Direct Bookings", Max Starkov, President & CEO, and Margaret Mastrogiacomo, Senior Director Creative Strategy of HeBS Digital, outline the steps hoteliers can take to close the 360-degree customer engagement, retention & acquisition cycle and boost direct bookings. Starkov and Mastrogiacomo discuss how Smart Data Mar...
New Release of Agilysys Visual One® PMS Delivers EMV Readiness, Enhanced Security and Support for the Latest Microsoft® Products
Agilysys | December 28, 2016
Version 8.7 Expands the Industry-Leading Property Management Solution to Help Customers Improve Operations and Increase Profits ALPHARETTA, GA. — Dec. 28, 2016 — Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading global provider of next-generation hospitality software solutions and services, today announced general availability of Visual One® PMS v8.7. The latest version of the company's popular property management system features a number of enhancements — including EMV readiness, more robust security and support for several recently released Microsoft® products — that will enable customers to dramatically improve...
Communication – Key To Avoiding The HR Domino Effect
Thomas Mielke | December 28, 2016
By: Thomas Mielke | Georgianne Fsadni | Andrew Hazelton At the beginning of the year, AETHOS conducted an industry-wide survey, intending to shed light on the alignment between the HR function and senior leadership (click here to review the findings). Sixty-eight (68) senior corporate HR professionals, working predominantly in the hotel and restaurant industry in Europe, Asia and North America, participated. Sharing their views on performance-level expectations set by their respective company's senior leadership teams, they rated the adequateness of resources and support provided. The survey concluded that there was a substantial misali...
Hotel AG Announces Recent Closings
Hotel AG | December 27, 2016
ATLANTA – December 28, 2016 – Hotel AG announced today that in December the firm closed 5 hotel transactions located mostly in the central US. The sales included a Residence Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Courtyard by Marriott, Holiday Inn and a Hawthorn Suites in Texas. Chris Stark, a partner with the firm, remarked, "The volatility in the hotel transaction markets seem to have stabilized post-election. These recent sales represent a sharp back to retail pricing. We as a firm are encouraged that this cycle is showing signs of lengthening as the health of the market improves." ...
