March 18, 2016

Siegel Sez

by: Richard Siegel

After HTNG it was one day in the office and then off to Berlin… or at least I thought I was off to Berlin. There is nothing like getting to your gate 18 minutes before the flight and then seeing no one there. Stupid me assumed that the gate agent was on the plane doing something and closed the door behind her, so I waited for her to come out – after all there were 18 minutes to go. Then 15, then 12, then eight, then five and then the electronic sign at the gate changed from “boarding” to “closed” and off went my plane to Cincinnati… with my luggage on it! Amazing. Who closes a flight 18 minutes before departure? I finally found somebody to help me after a few fruitless calls and then went home, came back the next day for the same flight and got on it nearly 40 minutes early. If you are curious, it was Delta.

I had said this once before and will say it again. I wish everybody whose lives revolve around the hotel and travel industry could get one chance to experience ITB in Berlin. It was a throwback to the old days where every booth was jammed and some had lines to get in. Yes, I got to visit all the technology vendors and then spent time with those who were early in their lifecycle, knowing that some might make it and some may not. I could make my guesses about who will and who won’t, but to be honest I have guessed before and was wrong. It is so enjoyable talking to the startups, having them share their experiences to date and making no apologies how optimistic and enthusiastic they are about the future. I hope they are all right. After I got all the technology out of my system, I always try to take a half day and just travel the world. Yes, every country in the world tries to sell itself as a travel destination. After all, what is a better way to improve your economy than have people from outside your country bring money in? Imagine my hanging out in the Iran booth trying to figure out who vacations there. That is what ITB is all about, and I can’t wait to go again. Some of the parties at night are nearly as good as those at HITEC which owns the nighttime nonstop partying crowd for the industry, but for me it was fun being at the ITB parties where I was the only person from the states. What a great experience.

Speaking of great experiences, if you are in Atlanta or will be in Atlanta on March 29th, come to our party! We are co-hosting an event because we like to get industry folks together. Thanks to HFTP, The Venza Group and Hospitality Upgrade, the food and drink will be free. We do have a limit on how many can attend so if you would like to join us you have to register. Please click this link to register. The party is the night before the start of our Executive Vendor Summit, which means many of the senior executives attending the summit will also be there. We have more than 100 people registered; it is amazing when you offer food and drink for free how big a crowd you can get! March 29th, in Atlanta, the invite has all the details. We hope those of you in Atlanta or those in town for business will be able to join us. It will be fun.

Here now is the real reason we are here, Dan Phillips’ review of the industry technology happenings. I will see you at the end with this week’s attempt at you-know-what. Thanks.

rich@hospitalityupgrade.com

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Technology NEWSSTAND

by: Dan Phillips

 

Introduction

At least on the east coast we experienced spring ahead on our clocks and time pieces last weekend. Perhaps, as an industry, we might want to spring ahead with our thinking as well. The economy has been pretty good for a while now.  With the political situation in our country, that could change drastically over the next 9 months. When times are good it is often easy to overlook inefficiencies and waste in our operations. With HITEC staring many of us in the face, which is typically a hallmark time on our annual calendar, I urge readers to start considering property and operational audits and start planning vendor meetings in New Orleans now. One client told me long ago, “If you watch the pennies, the dollars will follow.”

I look forward to serving you,

Dan Phillips
Dare to Imagine
dphillips@dare2i.com  
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COMMUNICATIONS/INFRASTRUCTURE

- Blueprint RF Connects Masters Golf Tournament Guests at Augusta's Club Magnolia
- Sheraton Pasadena Boosts Guest Satisfaction with Enhanced Wi-Fi Internet Connectivity by Hotel Internet Services
- RoamBOOST is First-to-Market with Solution Solving Cell Signal Interference for First Responders
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For more information on Communications/Infrastructure for 03/18/16

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SUSTAINABILITY

- Honeywell Hospitality Solutions Drive 5.8 Percent Utility Savings for Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center
- INTEREL Wins HTNG TechOvation Award for Top Global Hotel Innovation for Second Consecutive Year
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Honeywell Hospitality Solutions Drive 5.8 Percent Utility Savings for Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center
The Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, a 1,400+ room property in Orlando, Fla., announced its energy reduction program that is creating a 5.8 percent utility savings per year. With warm Florida temperatures year round, The Gaylord Palms established sustainability goals to conserve energy and keep guests comfortable. Honeywell’s INNCOM network and energy management solutions were incorporated in the goals to fully monitor and optimize the property.
http://www.inncom.com  
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INTEREL Wins HTNG TechOvation Award for Top Global Hotel Innovation for Second Consecutive Year
Headquartered in Dubai, INTEREL, one of the world's fastest growing manufacturers of integrated room technologies in the luxury, upper-scale and cruise line hospitality industry, took first place in the 2016 Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG) TechOvation Awards with its TCP/IP-based Water Management System. The event was held at the HTNG North American Conference in Amelia Island, Fla.
http://www.interelme.com  
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HOSPITALITY EDUCATION

- New AHLEI Partner in Cyprus Promotes Hospitality Certifications
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New AHLEI Partner in Cyprus Promotes Hospitality Certifications
The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) has signed a partnership agreement with Polykarpou hrd, based in Cyprus. The company, which specialized in training, human resources management, and industrial relations, has established the Cyprus Hospitality Educational Institute (CHEI) as a dedicated brand focusing on hospitality industry training and certification using AHLEI’s internationally-recognized programs.
http://www.ahla.com  
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HOSPITALITY EVENTS

- HFTP Allied Partners to Hold Co-located Meetings with HITEC 2016
- Hospitality Start-up Pitch Competition, Entrepreneur 20X, to Return for Second Year at HITEC 2016
- HFTP to Hold HITEC 2016 Opening Party at Generations Hall
- 2016 NAVIS Conference Draws Record Attendance
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For more information on Hospitality Events for 03/18/16

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PIQUED DAN'S INTEREST

- GCH unveils virtual reality views of its 120 hotels
- Case Study: Hotel Energy Management at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, Florida
- How the hospitality sector is slowly waking up to Big Data analytics
- Travellers Expect Robots on Their Holidays by 2020
- Architectural Hotel Trends for 2016: A Second Look
- And more stories…
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For more information on Piqued Dan's Interest for 03/18/16

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TOP O' THE NEWS

- Starwood Notifies Marriott of Intention to Terminate Merger Agreement, Determines Unsolicited Proposal from Consortium Constitutes a Superior Proposal
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Starwood Notifies Marriott of Intention to Terminate Merger Agreement, Determines Unsolicited Proposal from Consortium Constitutes a Superior Proposal
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., announced that it has received a revised binding and fully financed proposal from a consortium consisting of Anbang Insurance Group Co., Ltd., J.C. Flowers & Co. and Primavera Capital Limited (the Consortium), that the Starwood board of directors, in consultation with its legal and financial advisors, has determined constitutes a “superior proposal,” as defined in Starwood’s merger agreement with Marriott International, Inc.
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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

- iRiS Appoints Mark Holzberg as its Chief Global Sales Officer and GM, The Americas
- ProfitSword Announces Strategic Appointments to Executive Team
- Best Western Promotes Tammy Lucas to VP of Marketing and Bruce Wienberg to VP of Operations
- Canyon Ranch Appoints New Chief Operating Officer
- Highgate Appoints Rob Dann as Executive Vice President of Operations
- And more People on the Move…
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For more information on People on the Move for 03/18/16

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GUEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

- Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinckley Select Suite of Agilysys Solutions
- Wisconsin Property Selects Agilysys rGuest® Stay
- Maestro PMS Mobile Enables ResWave Online Group Management
- Row NYC Implements StayNTouch Mobility Platform
- StayNTouch Partners with Travel Tripper, Joining Innovative PMS and Mobility Solutions with a Powerful CRS to Produce Seamless Booking and Check-in Experiences
- TravelClick’s New Guest Management Solutions Offering Provides Global Hoteliers Access to Superior CRM Capabilities
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For more information on Guest Management Systems for 03/18/16

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REVENUE MANAGEMENT

- Duetto to Integrate TravelClick’s Demand Hotel Business Intelligence Data into its Market-Leading Revenue Strategy Solution
- Duetto Provides Revenue Strategy Solutions for Village Hotels
- New York Hotels Turn to nSight to Grow RevPAR Amidst Market Challenges
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For more information on Revenue Management for 03/18/16

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GUEST SERVICES

- Bulk TV Included on List of Best Employers in North Carolina
- Hilton and IBM Pilot World's First Watson-Enabled Hotel Concierge
- Travelzoo Study Reveals Travelers Expect Robots by 2020
- Sunridge Hotel Group Makes Bittel Charging Solutions a Standard for Multi-brand Portfolio
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For more information on Guest Services for 03/18/16

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BACK OFFICE

- ALICE Report Shares Secrets of the Data-Driven Hotelier
- ALICE Adds Amsterdam Hospitality Group to its Growing Roster of New York City Clients
- hospitalityPulse to Unveil Room Assignment Tools for Waitlists and Mobile Check-In at ITB Berlin
- Holiday Inn Express & Suites Vacaville Adds HotelTap Workforce Communication Tool
- TSA Partners with Copthorne Hotel Dubai, to Increase Upsell Revenue by 400 Percent in Less than a Year
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For more information on Back Office for 03/18/16

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INVENTORY/PURCHASING

- UNFI EDI Interface Now Available for ChefTec Software Users
- Culinary Software Services Releases ChefTec xt6 Software
- FCS e-Laundry Automated Tracking Solution Helps Hotels Streamline Laundry Operations
- WinStar World Casino Upgrades to InvoTech RFID Uniform Management System
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For more information on Inventory/Purchasing for 03/18/16

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DATA SECURITY AND CYBER ATTACKS

- Rosen Hotels & Resorts Inc. Completes Investigation of Payment Card Incident- Heartland
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Rosen Hotels & Resorts Inc. Completes Investigation of Payment Card Incident
Rosen Hotels and Resorts posted on its website that the company has completed an investigation of detected malware affecting payment card data from Sept. 2, 2014 through Feb. 18, 2016.
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PAYMENT PROCESSING

- Merchant Link Launches EMV for Restaurants Using Oracle iPOS
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Merchant Link Launches EMV for Restaurants Using Oracle iPOS
Merchant Link, a provider of payment gateway and data security solutions, announced that it has launched EMV for Oracle Hospitality's Restaurant iPOS Suite, including 3700, 9700, Simphony 1, and Simphony 2.
http://www.merchantlink.com  
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INNOVATORS AND STARTUPS

- StayBillety Invites Guests to Come On In; New Online Accommodation Service Connects Like-minded Guests and Hosts
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StayBillety Invites Guests to Come On In; New Online Accommodation Service Connects Like-minded Guests and Hosts
StayBillety, a startup redefining the online accommodation model by connecting like-minded guests and hosts, announced the launch of its affordable service at Syracuse University’s Blackstone LaunchPad. Along with traditional location search, StayBillety features unique functionality linking guests with affiliated groups, organizations and events. In addition, StayBillety members select a national charity to receive a percentage of revenue each month.
http://www.staybillety.com
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RESERVATIONS

- Premier Inn International Selects Sabre as its Strategic Technology Partner
- SiteMinder Secures SANA Hotels as BTL Opens in Lisbon
- Industry Study: Hoteliers Say Distribution and Online Marketing Need Urgent Attention
- HotelsByDay.com Announces Partnership With Rocketrip
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For more information on Reservations for 03/18/16

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MARKETING/MANAGEMENT

- Anaheim Majestic Garden Hotel's Reach Exceeds 100,000 Travelers with Flip.to
- Valencia Group Expands Portfolio with Digital Alchemy Marketing
- HeBS Digital Releases the smartCMS v7, Technology that Transforms the Hotel Website into the Primary Distribution Channel
- HeBS Digital Launches Tsogo Sun’s New Brand Website
- Industry Veteran Gregg Hopkins Launches Consulting, Marketing and Technology Firm
- ReviewPro Provides Kempinski with Fully Integrated Guest Feedback Solution
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For more information on Marketing/Management for 03/18/16

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You-Know-What

And now for you-know-what…

One Sunday, while counting the money in the weekly offering, the pastor of a church found a pink envelope containing $1,000. Then it happened again the next week. The following Sunday, he watched as the offering was collected and saw a little old lady put the distinctive pink envelope in the plate. This went on for weeks until the pastor, overcome by curiosity, approached her.

"Ma'am, I couldn't help but notice that you put $1,000 a week in the collection plate," he said.

"Why yes," she replied. "Every week my son sends me money, and I give some of it to the church."

The pastor replied, "That's wonderful, how much does he send you?"

The old lady said, "$10,000 a week."

The pastor was amazed. "Your son must be very successful; what does he do for a living?"

"He is a veterinarian," she answered.

"That's an honorable profession," the pastor said. "Where does he practice?"

The old lady said proudly, "In Nevada. He has two cat houses in Las Vegas and one in Reno."

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