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Technology
Hotel Zachary Chicago Teams Up With Cloud5 for a Fan-Focused Converged Network Solution
Cloud5 Communications | August 15, 2018
Two hometown companies hit it out of the park to deliver guest experiences that are a home run across the street from Chicago's iconic Wrigley Field CHICAGO (August 15, 2018) — Cloud5 Communications Inc., the leading communications technology and services provider for hospitality, today announced the successful implementation of a converged communications network for guests and staff at the Hotel Zachary in Chicago, across the street from Wrigley Field. Humming since the hotel opened in May for the start of baseball season, the integrated voice and data solution has been serving thousands of leisure and business travelers in the h...
The Direct Booking Summit: Americas – Agenda Announced!
| August 15, 2018
The Direct Booking Summit goes to Dallas. 2016 marked the beginning of our industry changing Direct Booking Movement. As the movement flourished, the Summit grew with it. On October 3-4, it will once again bring the hotelier community together to discuss the current challenges and find workable solutions. We have packed our two-day event with multiple workshops, panel discussions and keynote speeches. Topped up with one of our legendary parties, the Summit is bound to become the biggest hospitality event of the year! This year's agenda is tailored to cover the burning questions in distribution, marketing and revenue. You can expect to l...
The Key to Hotel Operations Technology Lies in Single Guest Profiles
Kevin King | August 14, 2018
By Kevin King At the recent, CHAT 2018 (China Hotel and Tourism Forum) in Shanghai, Kevin King, COO of Shiji, was invited to deliver a keynote speech on "Hotel Operation Technology". As one of the largest hospitality conferences in China, CHAT aims to explore new ideas for hospitality industry future development with trade professionals. The conference, hosted by Horwath HTL and the China Tourist Hotel Association, was held at the W Shanghai. As the leader of hospitality total solution, Shiji was invited to participate in the forum to discuss the development of the hospitality and tourism industry. The conference attracted mor...
Heading to Nashville for Hotel Data Conference? Don’t Miss These 5 Sessions
Alan E. Young | August 14, 2018
By Alan E. Young Nashville is known for many things; live music, nightlife, food, and from August 15th until 17th that list expands to include the Hotel Data Conference (HDC) hosted by STR. A yearly, sold-out event staple in the hospitality industry, the conference covers over 20 exciting, insightful presentations, industry outlooks, tips, trends, and so much more. Taking place at the Omni Nashville Hotel, attendees can expect to join in on conversations with industry leaders and panelists and leave with data-backed insights to enhance their hospitality offering in 2018 and beyond. After all, with the trend of hyper-guest personalizatio...
Sabre Hospitality Solutions Announces Business Travel Services Suite, With InterContinental Hotels Group® as One of Its First Adopters
Sabre | August 14, 2018
New, consolidated corporate hotel booking solution will offer three powerful tools in one place SOUTHLAKE, Texas – August 14, 2018 – Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR) today announced Business Travel Services, the new consolidated solution suite from Sabre Hospitality Solutions that will offer hoteliers easy-to-use tools with time-saving automations and simplified processes; access to industry insights and expert guidance; and unlimited access to travel management companies and consortia partners – all in one place. InterContinental Hotels Group® (IHG) will be one of the first hotel companies to use the new solution...
Mobile Communication Is Key to Employee Engagement & Retention
Connie Rheams | August 14, 2018
By engaging hotel staff digitally with personal recognition, professional development and cross-team collaboration, hoteliers can touch employees' hearts, drive loyalty and reduce turnover By Connie Rheams With unemployment at an all-time low – 4% across all industries as of June 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics – employee retention is top of mind. The proliferation of available jobs in hospitality has sparked even more competition among hotels to attract and retain employees. An additional dollar per hour or free daily lunch is proving to be enough of an incentive for hourly employees to leave one prope...
StayNTouch Partners With Seaside Hotels
StayNTouch Inc. | August 14, 2018
Hawaiian hotel group brings PMS efficiency to its portfolio with StayNTouch's cloud-based solutions Bethesda, MD – AUGUST 14, 2018 – StayNTouch, an innovator in mobile technology and Property Management Systems (PMS) for hotels, is pleased to announce it has partnered with Seaside Hotels Hawaii with the deployment of its Rover PMS™ and Zest™ products at Maui Seaside Hotel (Kahului, HI), Kona Seaside Hotel (Kailua-Kona, HI), and Hilo Seaside Hotel (Hilo, HI). "Our old PMS was so complex with too many screens that had to be populated at each step of any process. It really took away from the actual service and greet...
Keynote Speakers Announced for Revenue Strategy Forum London
Duetto | August 14, 2018
Blue Ocean strategy and blockchain just two of the topics up for discussion at this year's Revenue Strategy Forum in London, taking place ahead of World Travel Market. London, 14 August, 2018 — Hotel industry leaders, innovators and strategists will come together to discuss the hot topics of the moment, including Blue Ocean strategies, blockchain and e-commerce, at the fourth annual Revenue Strategy Forum (RSF) London. Organised by Duetto, the hospitality industry's only Revenue Strategy Platform, RSF London 2018 will present a packed programme of debate when it takes place ahead of World Travel Market on 5 November 2018 at the Am...
Robots: Hotel Customers Like Them (Mostly)!
Rohit Verma | August 13, 2018
By Lina Zhong and Rohit Verma When Captain Kirk or Mr. Spock needed information, they would hail the Enterprise's computer, and the computer would respond to their request. In 1966, that was an amazing piece of science fiction. Now, with Siri, Alexa, and other devices with artificial intelligence, we all are figuratively standing on the bridge of the Enterprise, speaking to devices that are "listening" to us and fulfilling our simple requests. As the Internet of things grows, robots and other devices using artificial intelligence can handle a growing list of tasks, such as turning up the heat or air conditioning before a homeowner arriv...
Start Thinking About Your Hotel’s “Off-Season” in a Whole New Way
Gary R. Hernbroth | August 13, 2018
By: Gary R. Hernbroth Training for Winners Many things in our world have annual cycles or seasons, such as sports leagues, holiday shopping, the school year, farm crops, you name it. There is usually a slow (or slower) season and a busy (or busier) season, two very different activity levels in play. This industry certainly has its cycles too, where business levels fluctuate between in-season crazy/busy/zany/frantic times and the "wake me up when a customer comes around" slower times. The latter condition is commonly and insufferably known by most as the off-season. "Come and visit during the off-season, our rates are much lower be...
Amadeus Accelerates Expansion in Hospitality Sector With $1.52bn Agreement to Acquire TravelClick
Amadeus | August 13, 2018
Deal will significantly expand Amadeus' presence in the hospitality sector. Addition of TravelClick's cloud-based solutions for mid-chain and independent hotels will enable Amadeus to reach all segments of the market with an enhanced portfolio. Madrid, 13 August 2018 - Amadeus has agreed to acquire TravelClick from Thoma Bravo, a leading private equity investment firm, for USD $1.52bn. TravelClick, which is headquartered in New York City, is a leading global hospitality provider that serves more than 25,000 customers across 176 countries. It provides innovative cloud-based solutions, including an independent and mid-size hotel Central R...
iVvy to Showcase New Generation Sales and Catering Technology at Hotel Data Conference
iVvy | August 13, 2018
NEW YORK, NY (August 13, 2018) ─ iVvy Inc., the award-winning global Venue Management Software company, will be showcasing their new generation sales and catering solution for meetings, events & group accommodation at this year's Hotel Data Conference. The highly-anticipated annual event takes place in Nashville from August 15th to 17th and iVvy will be sponsoring the networking lunch on Friday starting at 12:25 pm. The Australia-based company has expanded its North American presence in the US and is on a trajectory for continued growth due to increasing demand within the hospitality industry for a solution to connect the buyer to...
All-Inclusive Hotels: Looking Beyond RevPAR
Dan Skodol | August 13, 2018
By Dan Skodol, Vice President of Revenue Analytics at Rainmaker When people think of all-inclusive resorts, they may conjure up images tied to bland buffet food, endless banana daiquiris, and conga lines of partying singles dancing around the poolside – all for one budget-conscious package price. Today's all-inclusives still tempt travelers with comprehensive packages that include meals, lodging, and entertainment options. But the all-inclusive business model has evolved significantly from its 1950s origins.1 Today, gourmet meals are often made from sustainable, locally sourced ingredients, and served along with handcrafted cockta...
DigiValet Accelerates In-Room Hotel Innovation, Pioneers the Interface Between Voice and Service as Part of Its “Uber-Luxury Experience”
DigiValet | August 9, 2018
Wake up to Morning Coffee with Alexa New York (August 9, 2018) — DigiValet, the company that is transforming the guest experience at luxury hotels around the world, has teamed with Amazon Alexa to add an expanded suite of voice commands to its in-room suite of services to delight and surprise guests. With the new Alexa integration, DigiValet offers guests the ability to change thermostats, lighting controls, TVs, and other in-room features simply with their voice. Guests can even brew a cup of coffee through the in-room coffee machine just by asking Alexa. DigiValet is not new to voice activated solutions. They first broke barrie...
Now Available for Download: From Dreaming to Booking eBook
HEBS Digital | August 9, 2018
We all know from experience that a lot goes into planning the perfect vacation, and with so many devices and planning resources, the journey is complex. According to a leisure travel study conducted by Phocuswright, 60% of respondents reported that a vacation was their largest discretionary purchase. In light of this, before making this large investment, travelers are thoughtfully taking time to research all the possibilities. Download our latest eBook to learn strategies to implement in order to reach travelers at every stage of their travel planning journey. It is crucial to be present at every step of the way in order to capture the ...
Chief Concierge of The Jung Hotel and Residences, Claudette Breve, Believes Those in the Industry are Born to Serve
ALICE | August 9, 2018
ALICE spoke with Chief Concierge of the Jung Hotel and Residences of the New Orleans Hotel Collection, Claudette Breve, about the impact of technology on the concierge profession, the current challenges that face the industry, and where she sees the see the profession going in the coming years. How did you begin your career in the concierge profession? In 1981, I walked into The Hyatt Regency New Orleans and told them I would be a great asset to their Concierge desk. I was told there were no openings but my persistence paid off and after several tries, they finally agreed to bring me on board. Within the course of 4 years, I went on to...
The Time Is Now for Hotels to Move Operations Into the Cloud
Jonathan Morse | August 8, 2018
By Jonathan Morse You wouldn't go 20 years in between cleaning or redecorating your guest rooms, so why are so many hotels stuck in the past when it comes to the software they use to run their operations? Hotels have always been in the forefront when it comes to technology. A common hospitality saying is that hotels are 10 years ahead of restaurants when it comes to technology, but that hasn't been true since 2010. Just look at the explosion of new technology for restaurants with dozens of new cloud based point of sales solutions, reservation applications, and event management solutions. The great leap that has been made in recent years...
3 most outstanding hotel concierge software
Our.Guide | August 8, 2018
Traveling is a pleasant undertaking. Particularly, when the tourists are reassured that their expectations will be met by the hotel staff; as a result, they will travel more frequently. This article presents three amazing hotel concierge programs that are useful in running every type of hotel. At the very beginning, it is worth to highlight the specific role of a concierge at a hotel. The responsibilities of such a person is to resolve problems that the guests may have, or possibly are not aware of them; thus, making their stay more pleasant. The concierge is the first person that the guests will see when they enter the hotel. This empl...
Independent Operators Discuss Must-Have Functionality for Multi-Property Operations
Maestro PMS | August 8, 2018
One Database for All Properties; Integrated Spa, Restaurant and Room Booking, Event Scheduling, Guest History and Loyalty: Maestro PMS Does it All Markham, Ontario – August 8, 2018 – "It is essential that all our properties and their activities be instantly accessible on one PMS system for our destination service agents. Maestro Multi-Property Management does a great job of connecting the different pieces of our business, the Spa, front desk, and food and beverage outlets. It all comes together on one system to support personalized experience that is essential for our Forbes rating," says Mary Arcuri, Group Director of Reser...
Alila Hotels and Resorts Chooses Infor to Streamline Operations and Increase Business Efficiency
Alila | August 8, 2018
Customer Service and Satisfaction was Key to Selection Choice NEW YORK - Aug 08, 2018 - Infor, a leading provider of industry-specific cloud applications, today announced that Alila Hotels and Resorts has deployed Infor Hospitality Management System (HMS) and Infor Revenue Management Solution (RMS) for its hotel operations in Kuala Lumpur to increase business agility and further enhance efficiencies. Alila Hotels and Resorts launched in Indonesia 15 years ago. Today it is the luxury brand under Two Roads Hospitality and manages hotels and resorts in India, Asia Pacific and Oman. In streamlining and automating its processes and enabling ...
Built-In or Portable: What’s Your AV Strategy?
Jeff Loether | August 8, 2018
Six factors to consider when balancing decisions between built-in and portable AV equipment By Jeff Loether To say that AV services are "out of balance" in some operations is an understatement. When properly managed, AV can produce the second highest profit margin in a hotel – behind rooms. However, as my good friend John Burns, president of Hospitality Technology Consulting, recently said, "No one understands [AV], and no one really wants to." If a hotel does not have enough AV rental revenue to share with an outside audiovisual company to manage these in-house services, trying to self-manage AV services can be a nightmare. With...
Why Asia Leads the Race in Smart Hotel Technology
Real Views | August 7, 2018
By Serene Lim Robots butlers, keyless entry and virtual reality-enhanced room bookings: Hotel guests are increasingly being greeted by these once futuristic tech features around the world. But hotels in Asia have been upping the ante, with a younger hospitality industry – and many guests in their 20s and 30s – quickly taking to new innovations. In Japan, for instance, self-parking slippers and furniture are able to return to their designated spots after use. A blockchain reward system introduced by Malaysian hospitality firm Hatten Group allows members to collect tokens in exchange for hotel packages and stays. Meanwhile, An...
Why Offering Local Tours and Activities Is a Huge Revenue Opportunity for Hotels
HEBS Digital | August 7, 2018
By Max Starkov, President & CEO at HEBS Digital Background: Offering local tours and activities - i.e. experiences in the destination - is a multibillion dollar business, with the OTAs having shown a growing interest in this sector. Expedia alone is looking to grow its local tours and activities sales fivefold - from approximately $400 million a year to over $2 billion. Expedia currently has 4,000 suppliers providing 27,000 tours and activities worldwide. Airbnb, through its Experiences offering, has been rolling out tours and activities in many of its key destinations with the goal of bringing its offerings to 1,000 cities. Recentl...
Shiji Group Continues Global Expansion, Opens Office in Australia
Shiji Group | August 7, 2018
Beijing 7 August 2018 - Shiji Group established operations in Sydney, Australia to manage the growth and customer care in the Pacific. With over 8,000 hotels using Shiji products in the region and international offices in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Macau it became evident that to keep with Shiji's tradition of customer service, an office was needed for Australasian customers. "Shiji began as a technology service and support company for hotels, we know how important it is to have local customer service and support teams to support our growth." said Kevin King, COO of Shiji Group. Located in Sydney and headed by industry veteran, ...
