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Technology
Noble and Simon Open 146-Key Homewood Suites by Hilton Edina Minneapolis as Part of Southdale Center’s Mixed-Use Complex
Homewood Suites | September 20, 2018
Atlanta and Indianapolis – September 18, 2018 - Noble Investment Group ("Noble"), and Simon®, a global leader in premier shopping, dining, and mixed-use destinations, (NYSE:SPG), announces the opening of the Homewood Suites by Hilton Edina Minneapolis, located in the heart of Edina as part of Southdale Center's mixed-use complex. The hotel is proximate to the corporate headquarters of major employers such as Best Buy, Dairy Queen, United Health, General Mills, and Regis Corporation, and hospitals, including the renowned Methodist Hospital and Fairview Hospital. The Homewood Suites by Hilton Edina Minneapolis is less than ten m...
5 Reasons to Add AV Management Software to a Hotel’s 2019 Capital Budget
AVaStar | September 20, 2018
Industry reports show that small- to mid-size hotels are placing a higher emphasis on hotel technology to meet planners' demands; Self-managing AV equipment process with AVaStar will drive revenues [Gaithersburg, Md.—Sept. 20, 2018]—Recent reports are showing that the meetings segment of hospitality is flourishing, and technology is of critical importance to event planners in venue selection. Meeting facilities with lodging – which hosted 87% of meetings 2016 according to the PwC Conference Center Report – need to put more focus on managing their built-in and portable audiovisual equipment to meet planners' expec...
The Top 5 Things You Need to Know Now in Hotel Digital Marketing: September Edition
HEBS Digital | September 20, 2018
By Margaret Mastrogiacomo, VP Strategy This month, Google's search engine algorithm update takes full effect, Facebook rolls out new video format to more advertisers, and animated typography helps website content pack a punch. From SEO to design, read on to learn the top5 things you need to know now in hotel digital marketing. SEO: The Google search algorithm update on August 1 is now officially rolled out. Overall, the search engine update is considered a broad core algorithm update, so there are no specific optimizations that the SEO community should be focused on. However, now more than ever, marketers should ensure that the websit...
Cloud5 Webinar: Proven Strategies for Hospitality HSIA Success From a Top Rated Internet Provider for Marriott Properties
Cloud5 | September 20, 2018
CHICAGO (September 20, 2018) — Cloud5 Communications Inc., a top rated North American Internet provider according to Marriott's Internet Partner Scorecard, will host a webinar on how to optimize HSIA success for new builds and network upgrades on October 3, 2018 at 11am – 12pm CT. The ability of a hotel to meet the increasing demands of always-connected guests is a top indicator of overall guest satisfaction. So much so that major hotel brands, including Marriott, are establishing new Internet performance standards and processes for measuring compliance and the impact WiFi has on guest scores. The live webinar will provide p...
North American Hoteliers Kick Off Second Half of 2018 With Continued Steady Rates and Bookings; Q2 2019 Shows Signs of Softness
TravelClick | September 20, 2018
NEW YORK – September 20, 2018 – TravelClick, a leading global provider of data and revenue-generating solutions for hoteliers, today released new data from the Company's August 2018 North American Hospitality Review (NAHR). According to this data, the second half of the year has stable rates and bookings across all travel segments, up 1.80 percent in average daily rates (ADR) and 0.51 percent in bookings in the third quarter when compared to the prior year. Group travel in Q3 is also up 1.81 percent in ADR and 0.50 percent in bookings, and the transient segment overall is up 1.80 percent in ADR and 0.52 percent in bookings i...
The Rainmaker Group Now Integrates With Central Reservation System, Windsurfer® CRS, to Provide a More Streamlined Interface for Customers
Rainmaker | September 20, 2018
ALPHARETTA, GA. — September , 2018 —The Rainmaker Group (Rainmaker), a leading provider of cloud-based hospitality revenue and profit optimization software announces a full integration between Rainmaker's premier revenue management system, guestrev®, and SHR, Sceptre Hospitality Resources, a pioneer of advanced hotel distribution technologies and developer of Windsurfer® CRS. This integration allows guestrev® to send pricing recommendations directly to Windsurfer CRS, giving properties the ability to access strategic information as they make pricing decisions. Hotel properties that utilize both guestrev® and ...
SHR Integrates With Rainmaker Guestrev® to Provide Advanced Revenue Optimization Tool
SHR | September 20, 2018
ALPHARETTA, GA and HOUSTON, TX, September 20, 2018—SHR, Sceptre Hospitality Resources, a pioneer of advanced hotel distribution technologies and developer of Windsurfer® CRS, has become fully integrated with the The Rainmaker Group's guestrev® product to help drive revenue and manage forecasting for SHR clients. Hotel properties that utilize both guestrev and Windsurfer will now be able to see Daily Rates, overbooking (at the property level or room type level), and Open/Close to Stay-Through within the CRS, instead of waiting for their PMS to relay the same data. And by sending pricing recommendations directly to Windsurfe...
Hospitality Leadership Solutions Series: Is Self-Confidence Friend or Foe?
James Houran | September 19, 2018
By James Houran, Ph.D. and Keith Kefgen Noted hospitality thought leaders and corporate governance/ performance management experts Kefgen and "Dr. Jim" share common management challenges while providing time-tested, field-tested or just simple "quick-fix" ideas to keep professionals inspired, effective and successful. Self-confidence can be a friend and foe to emerging leaders and seasoned executives alike. In many cases, leaders must think and act against popular wisdom, and thus must exhibit confidence and grit in the face of severe—and even very public—opposition. Of course, self-confidence can also lead one down a very ...
Hogan Hospitality Group Acquires Marin Management Inc.
Hogan Hospitality Group | September 19, 2018
HONOLULU — (Sept. 19, 2018) — Hogan Hospitality Group (HHG), a hotel management company with flagship properties in the state of Hawaii, has obtained a majority interest in Marin Management Inc. (MMI), a California-based hospitality group managing properties in California, Arizona and Texas. With the acquisition, HHG adds 17 hotels, restaurants and spas to its diverse portfolio, with the majority of properties located in California. John Manderfeld, founder and president of Marin Management Inc., will remain president following the acquisition. HHG will work closely with MMI leadership to continue providing exceptional suppo...
Vertical Booking USA Continues to Increase Its Client List in North America
Zucchetti | September 19, 2018
Portland, Ore – September 19, 2018 – Vertical Booking USA, part of the Zucchetti Group, is proud to announce their selection as the primary provider of reservations technology for many prestigious, award-winning hotel chains, with new deals closed in the third quarter of 2018. "It has been a very exciting year for Vertical Booking USA, as we've experienced tremendous growth in the highly competitive North American market," said Mark Lewis-Brown, CEO and President of Vertical Booking USA. "We have added new team members in every department, including technical support, programming, sales, marketing and client services, to ens...
Hotel Marketing Budgets: How Much Is Actually Enough?
Tambourine | September 19, 2018
According to a recent study, Booking.com and Expedia return $16 for every dollar spent on marketing. This looks great on paper, but the reality is that over the last decade OTAs' return on marketing investment decreased by 15%. This explains why Booking.com dramatically decreased its advertising spend. The same story is playing out across the hotel marketing landscape… cost-per-acquisition is soaring, and if the Goliaths of the industry had to change their strategies, it's probably time to sit down and address the elephant-in-the-room: how much should you be spending on marketing? First: What's in the Marketing Budget? Allocation...
Elliott Park Hotel Pioneers Latest in Voice-Activated Guestroom Controls and Connectivity With BeyondTV and Wi-Fi by HISA
Hotel Internet Services, Inc. | September 19, 2018
Newly opened luxury Minneapolis property ensures unmatched guestroom convenience and internet with advanced solutions by Hotel Internet Services Minneapolis— September 19, 2018 — Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet services and solutions for the hospitality industry, has announced its implementation of advanced Wi-Fi services and BeyondTV at the Elliott Park Hotel, an upscale, ultra modern property located in downtown Minneapolis. Featuring one of the area's highest-rated restaurants, the hotel is now also credited with providing first-rate internet connectivity as well as the ability for guest...
Davidson Hotels & Resorts Adds Sheraton Philadelphia University City Hotel to Portfolio
Davidson Hotels & Resorts | September 18, 2018
Davidson Hotels & Resorts Celebrates 15th University Project, Welcoming Penn's Sheraton Philadelphia University City Hotel to its Diverse Portfolio ATLANTA (September 20, 2018) – Davidson Hotels & Resorts, one of the nation's premier management companies in the lodging industry, is proud to announce its 15th university-oriented property, with the addition of the Sheraton Philadelphia University City Hotel, owned by the University of Pennsylvania, one of the one of the world's leading teaching and research institutions, to its diverse nationwide portfolio. "Davidson is honored to manage a property owned by an institution as...
Choice Hotels Launches Virtual Pay Online
Choice Hotels | September 18, 2018
First Hotel Company to Eliminate Need for Faxed and Emailed Authorization Forms for Corporate Travel ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 18, 2018 -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) has launched a virtual payment option on ChoiceHotels.com to create a seamless booking experience for corporate travelers, becoming the first hotel company to adopt this payment method on its consumer-facing website. With one click during the checkout process, corporate travel managers now have the option to book reservations using a centralized form of payment, and without having to supply each traveler with a physical card or provide an authorization form. ...
HMC Assumes Management of Four Points by Sheraton Little Rock, Arkansas
Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC) | September 18, 2018
Dallas, TX – Leo Spriggs, President and CEO of Hospitality Management Corporation (HMC), is pleased to announce the addition of this 263-room Four Points by Sheraton® in Little Rock, Arkansas, to their portfolio of managed hotels. HMC 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 hotel is minutes from Little Rock's major attractions including Little Rock C...
RLH Corporation Streamlines System Connectivity With Hapi Data Platform
Hapi and Data Travel | September 18, 2018
RLH Corporation leverages new data integration platform to connect revenue management solution and enterprise data warehouse with real-time hotel data streams Orlando, FL – September 18, 2018 – Hapi, a transformative new data streaming, integration and enrichment platform designed to solve the hotel industry's rapidly expanding data management challenges, announces the successful deployment of PMS data connectors developed to support the needs of RLH Corporation (NYSE:RLH). The connectors have been developed in order to link a portion of RLH Corporation's hotels to a new revenue management system, as well as to the company's...
It’s Budget Season… Are You Ready?
Intelity | September 17, 2018
"As the summer winds down and the 2019 budget season ramps up, hoteliers need to bring technology to the forefront of their capital plans." Studies show mobile solutions from Intelity and KEYPR are high on guests' wish lists for 2019 According to Hospitality Technology's 2018 Customer Engagement Technology Study, 65% of guests say they are willing to pay higher rates and are more likely to return to a hotel that offers access to the technology they deem important. Guests' technology demands for 2019 include having a hotel mobile app with a variety of features, the ability to check-in and out from a mobile device, and high-tech features ...
Infor Acquires Vivonet
Vivonet | September 17, 2018
Leading Point-of-Sale Extends Infor's Suite of Solutions for Hospitality with Key Functionality NEW YORK - Sep 17, 2018 - Infor, a leading provider of industry-specific cloud applications, today announced it has acquired Vivonet, Inc., an industry leader in cloud-based hospitality solutions. The acquisition extends Infor's suite of solutions for hospitality with point-of-sale (POS) and inventory and procurement functionality for companies in the food service management, full and quick service restaurant, and hotel food and beverage micro-verticals. Founded in 2000, Vancouver, BC-based Vivonet offers solutions for POS, kiosks, ki...
What Is RFM? Top 5 Ways to Elevate Your Digital Strategy & Increase Direct Bookings
HEBS Digital | September 17, 2018
By Margaret Mastrogiacomo, VP Strategy The digital landscape is constantly evolving. Hotel digital marketers continue to seek more effective and cost-efficient ways to reach the right audience, at the right place, and at the right time. But do hotel marketers truly know the value of each and every guest and, more importantly, do they understand what motivates guests to choose their hotel, then choose to stay again? Understanding the lifetime value of guests, including the type of content and promotions that compels them to book direct, is crucial to an effective book direct strategy. So, what's the secret to understanding the value of y...
Approaching the Tech Buffet Without Getting Sick
Margaret Ady | September 13, 2018
How to build a tech stack based on what your guests need (instead of just what's available) By Margaret Ady Don't lie; you know you've done it. I sure have. The hotel breakfast buffet. You're so hungry and there's so much food. You want your money's worth. Each station looks better than the one before it, and those decorated plates piled with pancakes the size of your head make it all too delicious to pass up (I usually have these as my "dessert course"). How can you say no? Decision fatigue kicks in, your better sense of judgement goes out the window, and you go after that buffet like a boss instead of th...
Flight Centre’s Hotel Management Business BHMA Selects TravelClick’s Award-Winning iHotelier® Central Reservations System
BHMA | September 13, 2018
Robust Distribution Solution Helps BHMA to Maximize Direct Bookings, Recapture Abandoned Guests NEW YORK, September 13, 2018 – TravelClick, a leading global provider of data and revenue-generating solutions for hoteliers, today announced the Company's new partnership with BHM Asia (BHMA), a regional Asian-Pacific hotel management company that's wholly-owned by the Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG), to adopt TravelClick's industry-leading iHotelier® Central Reservations System (CRS). Leveraging TravelClick will help BHMA to increase website conversions and reduce guest abandonment rates with a transformative new reservation exp...
SHR Selected by GreenTree Inn Hotels as New Distribution Partner
SHR | September 13, 2018
SCOTTSDALE, AZ and HOUSTON, TX, September 13, 2018—SHR, Sceptre Hospitality Resources, a pioneer of advanced hotel distribution technologies and developer of Windsurfer® CRS, has been chosen by GreenTree Hospitality Group, a leading hotel owner, operator, and franchisor of the GreenTree Inn and GreenTree Inn & Suites branded hotels, as its strategic distribution technology provider. GreenTree Hospitality, the U.S. arm of GreenTree Inn, made the move in an effort to find a technology solution that could grow with their business, that was customer service-centric, and yet could offer their franchisees a cost-effective soluti...
Oliver Companies Goes Mobile: Installs Aptech PVNG Enterprise Accounting for 18 Properties
Aptech Computer Systems, Inc. | September 13, 2018
Mobile Oliver Execs Access Financials in Web-Based PVNG to Get Work Done PITTSBURGH, September 13, 2018 – Aptech Computer Systems announced that Oliver Companies, Inc. upgraded its back office financial processes to PVNG Enterprise Accounting. Oliver Companies converted from Aptech's Profitvue® hotel accounting software to web-based PVNG to enable mobile system access to company financials and property performance reports. Oliver Companies is based in Duluth, MN. It operates 18 properties across eight states that fly flags from Hilton, IHG, Choice and others. Aptech is the leading provider of hospitality business intelligence,...
Scandinavian Hotel Group Story Hotels Brings PMS Flexibility to Its Portfolio With StayNTouch’s Cloud-Based Solutions
StayNTouch Inc. | September 13, 2018
Bethesda, MD – SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 – StayNTouch, an innovator in mobile technology and Property Management Systems (PMS) for hotels, is pleased to announce it has partnered with Story Hotels with the deployment of its Rover PMS™ and Zest™ products at Story Hotel Riddargatan (Stockholm, Sweden), Story Hotel Signalfabriken (Sundbyberg, Sweden), and Story Hotel Studio Malmö (Malmö, Sweden). Staffan Åkerlind, Revenue Manager of Story Hotels says "We were ready for a change and StayNTouch met our requirements, including integration with our legacy door lock system, "Mr. Åkerlind continued, "Unlike...
