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Archive Photos Rumors

June 22, 2017

Siegel Sez

by: Rich Siegel

Remember your first industry job? The impact technology had on your career? Was there an experience you loved? Hated? Still today makes you laugh? Grimace? It doesn’t matter if you have been in the industry less than 10 years or more than 40, if you will be at HITEC, help Hospitality Upgrade celebrate our 25th year as we look back at the history of technology. At HITEC you can pick up our special issue which was spearheaded by Jon Inge and takes a great look back at where it all started for the hotel industry. In our booth (1301) we have a timeline from the beginnings through today and are sharing special industry moments. We would love for you to take a moment, stop by and share your industry moment. We think everyone will be amazed at the timeline we created. Some of the moments that are being shared are amazing, though I hesitate to include a technology-related experience I had in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Then again, maybe I will, or I will make Peter Holmes do it. Also at HITEC when you pick up your badge, be sure to pick up the Summer/HITEC issue of Hospitality Upgrade in the registration bag. It’s probably our best HITEC issue ever and a big thank you goes to Jeremy Rock for reminding us that with all the new technology advances that keep us all on our toes, we should never forget the importance of the much needed back-of-the-house solutions. Ignoring these systems can be costly. Please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts about Hospitality Upgrade with us while in Toronto; we live for the feedback especially face to face.
One of the biggest technology initiatives in the history of the industry is IHG’s replacement of its Holidex reservation system that is nearly 50 years old. I am leading a session at 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday (6/27) where IHG will share where they are with the project, the challenges and their plans moving forward. This will be interesting. The panel will also share how all hotels can better connect with their customers, which is one of the primary goals IHG has with this new solution. Please put Wednesday at 3:45 p.m. on your calendar and come to room 715B. This will be a great session.

Regardless if you are going to be at HITEC or not, we need to ask you a favor. Hospitality Upgrade launched our new website today (www.hospitalityupgrade.com). For any of you involved in creating a new site, you know the challenges. They are even tougher for us in many ways because along with industry news and the things we are doing, we also have a great database of those who supply solutions to the industry. Also in our database, we have what systems have been installed and when and where along with a whole lot more. For those of you attending HITEC, on the bottom of our new home page, we have a somewhat light-hearted initial industry survey question that is all about the parties going on at HITEC. We ask that you take a moment to click on www.hospitalityupgrade.com and share your thoughts about our new site. Geneva led the charge for creating the site so please drop a note to Geneva@hospitalityupgrade.com and share any feedback. It would be much appreciated.

Yes, all the buildup to HITEC Toronto is over, now it is time for the event. Please come by and visit us, share your story on our timeline and let us know your thoughts on our History of Technology issue along with our summer edition of Hospitality Upgrade. Or just come by and say hi. Here now is the real reason we are here, our look back at the recent technology happenings, and there are many. We will see you at the end with this week’s attempt at you-know-what. Toronto, here we come!
Rich@hospitalityupgrade.com

Technology NEWSSTAND

by: Dan Phillips

Recent headlines, from Dan Phillips

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Introduction

I am and have been an entrepreneur since 1991. I love what HITEC does with Entrepreneur 20X. I love the spirit, the drive, ingenuity and energy that exudes from entrepreneurs. There is something contagious in the air that surrounds them. I have been a part of successful ventures and failures as well. Often, what may originally be seen as a failure instead turns into great success on the next attempt. Anyway, what I mean to say is that I am really looking forward to this year’s showcase, and competition. A quick review of the E20X presenters includes:

Angie: a voice-activated assistant
Arrivedo: a concierge-type app creating a local presence
Bizly: a meeting platform
Fetch: quick response to guest surveys
GEMtouch: guest experience management
Guest Folder: a guest member portal
Hotel Flex: flexible check-in times, short duration stays
Hyre: staffing for events
iPalapa: resort shade management
Lockup: access guestrooms via a smartphone
OnceThere: concierge app for local experience
ShuttleQ: transportation and parking management
Stay Wanderful: instant reward program from retail partners

Out of the 13 startups, arguably nine of them deal directly with guest experience, which most likely will be the hot topic this HITEC. I wonder if this same percentage will carry over to the vendors in the exhibit hall; meaning that a vast majority of the booths will proclaim the best solutions for guest engagement, experience and personalization.

With open architecture more prevalent, and with the advent of a service bus platform for applications to sit on, all of these new startups have a great chance for success. Whereas in the past, due to the fractioning of our industry, only the big boys could really play in new development; today, it is that same separation in competitive markets that will allow these smaller, niche, boutique applications providers to thrive. I may sound like an old veteran, which I am, but I wish I knew back in the day what I know today; I could have really kicked some…

Please be sure to check out the HITEC announcements from the last few weeks that are noted in the Piqued Dan’s Interest section below. Regrettably, this will be my last installment in Siegel Sez; my work life has gotten just too busy to deliver the quality product that Hotel Online deserves from me and provides to its readers. Thanks to the staff that made me look much better than I am, and thank you to the readers for your wonderful comments on past posts.

I have truly enjoyed serving you,

Dan Phillips
Dare to Imagine
dphillips@dare2i.com
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MERGERS and ACQUISITIONS

- Cabletime Acquires roomioTV to Take Share of Global Hospitality and Hotel TV Market
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Cabletime Acquires roomioTV to Take Share of Global Hospitality and Hotel TV Market
Cabletime, developer of the powerful MediaStar range of IPTV, streaming and digital signage solutions has announced the acquisition of roomioTV, the U.S.-based hotel and hospitality TV software developer. This move marks Cabletime’s intention to become a serious contender in the global hotel interactive TV market, enhancing its existing content distribution functionality with a powerful end-user focused solution and bespoke property management interface.
http://www.cabletime.com
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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

- AccorHotels Appoints Mark Purcell as Vice President, Development, North America
- Ken Greene Appointed President of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, Americas
- Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Names John Lawn Chief Executive Officer Succeeding Bill Simpson
- Hilton Appoints David Marr New Senior Vice President – Global Head of Full Service Brands
- And more People on the Move…
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For more information on People on the Move for 06/23/17

GUEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

- Knowcross Announces Integration with Maestro PMS
- RMS – The Hospitality Cloud Announces New Sales, Catering & Event Module
- GreenTree Inns Select SkyTouch Technology to Increase Footprint in the United States
- StayNTouch Releases E-Book: "The New Guest Experience Reality – From Millennials to Mobile – What Today’s Guests Really Want"
- Luxury Five-star Rosewood Abu Dhabi Makes Service Stand Out with Mobile App Technology from Xn protel
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For more information on Guest Management Systems for 06/23/17

RESERVATIONS

- MSI Solutions and SiteMinder Partner to Automate Distribution for CloudPM Hotel Users
- RLHC Completes Mobile Payment Integration with MyWallet from MyCheck
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MSI Solutions and SiteMinder Partner to Automate Distribution for CloudPM Hotel Users
MSI Solutions and SiteMinder announced a partnership that sees MSI’s CloudPM™ property management system integrated with SiteMinder’s industry-leading distribution platform. The partnership, which comes days ahead of HITEC 2017 in Toronto, provides a fully automated solution for mutual hotel customers to distribute their rooms online.
http://www.MSIsolutions.com, http://www.SiteMinder.com
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RLHC Completes Mobile Payment Integration with MyWallet from MyCheck
RLHC (Red Lion Hotels Corporation) announced that guests can streamline making their reservations through the Hello Rewards app. With the MyWallet mobile payment platform from MyCheck now embedded into the brand’s Hello Rewards app, the reservations process for Hotel RL, Red Lion Hotels, Red Lion Inns & Suites, GuestHouse and Settle Inn Extended Stay properties is now faster than ever before.
http://www.mycheck.io
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REVENUE MANAGEMENT

- AccorHotels Selects IDeaS to Deliver Advanced Revenue Strategy for its Worldwide Hotel Network
- IDeaS Powers Advanced Pricing Strategy at HOTEL DU PONT
- Hotelsoft Expands Its Development Center, Beefs Up Offerings
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For more information on Revenue Management for 06/23/17

GUEST SERVICES

- Ariane Systems and ALE Expand Strategic Partnership to Maximize Guest Convenience and Hotel Operations Efficiency
- TeleAdapt Becomes Kube System’s Newest Reseller Partner
- Zaplox Signs Agreement with US-based One Palm Apartments
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For more information on Guest Services for 06/23/17

MARKETING/MANAGEMENT

- HEBS Digital Wins 8 Interactive Media Awards for 2017, Including 6 Best in Class
- TravelClick Awarded Three “Best in Class” Wins at 2017 Interactive Advertising Competition
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HEBS Digital Wins 8 Interactive Media Awards for 2017, Including 6 Best in Class
HEBS Digital is proud to announce that the company has been awarded six “Best in Class” and two “Outstanding Achievement” distinctions from the Interactive Media Awards in the hotel/resort category for 2017. The Interactive Media Awards recognize the highest standards of excellence in website design and development and honor organizations for their outstanding achievement.
http://www.hebsdigital.com
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TravelClick Awarded Three “Best in Class” Wins at 2017 Interactive Advertising Competition
TravelClick, a global provider of innovative, cloud-based and data-driven solutions for hotels to maximize revenue, is pleased to announce that it has won top honors in three categories in the Interactive Advertising Competition’s (IAC) Hotel and Lodging Division.
http://www.travelclick.com
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BACK OFFICE

- Glacier House Hotels Installs Aptech’s PVNG Web-Based Enterprise Accounting
- TPG Hotels & Resorts Implements Aptech’s Execuvue^® Business Intelligence System
- ProfitSword Receives "Oustanding Achievement in Growth" Award From Association for Corporate Growth
- Jungceylon Phuket Shopping Mall Maximizes Maintenance Efficiency with e-Engineering by FCS Computer Systems
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For more information on Back Office for 06/23/17

COMMUNICATIONS/INFRASTRUCTURE

- Cloud5 Streamlines Guest Engagement with Volara Partnership
- Phonesuite Launches Enhanced Brand and Intuitive Website Redesign to Reflect Company Excellence and Innovation
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Cloud5 Streamlines Guest Engagement with Volara Partnership
Cloud5, one of hospitality’s leading communications technology and services platforms, is partnering with Volara to offer Wi-Fi-powered voice-based guest engagement for hotels and resorts. The partnership is a natural extension of Cloud5’s holistic hospitality communications platform designed to deliver an exceptional stay experience for today’s always-on hotel guests.
http://www.cloud5.com, http://www.volara.io
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Phonesuite Launches Enhanced Brand and Intuitive Website Redesign to Reflect Company Excellence and Innovation
Phonesuite, a leading provider of communications solutions for the hotel industry for more than 25 years, unveiled a new branding initiative that encompasses both the company’s outstanding reputation and tradition of excellence, as well as the innovation and focus on the future that will continue to drive hotel communications to answer operational objectives and elevate guest relationships.
http://www.phonesuite.com/
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F&B/POINT OF SALE

- Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu Selects Agilysys Solution Suite to Streamline F&B Operations and Enhance Guest Service
- MyCheck Granted Second Patent for its Mobile Payment Technology
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Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu Selects Agilysys Solution Suite to Streamline F&B Operations and Enhance Guest Service
Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading global provider of next-generation hospitality software solutions and services, announced that Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu in Koloa, Hawaii, has selected a suite of software solutions — including InfoGenesis^® POS, InfoGenesis^® Flex and rGuest^® Pay — to streamline food and beverage operations and enhance guest service at the 306-unit luxury property.
http://www.agilysys.com
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MyCheck Granted Second Patent for its Mobile Payment Technology
MyCheck, a leading mobile payment platform provider to the hospitality industry, announced that it has been issued a second U.S. Patent No. 9,633,344 B2 related to the device, system and method of payment transacted through mobile payment applications. The patent covers MyCheck’s point-of-sale integration system and using database information pulled from a restaurant POS to drive information, push offers, create clubs and recommend favorite items to customers. The patented technology enables a restaurant or dining establishment to store and maintain customer data for future promotions that can be discounted on historical behavioral or preferences data.
http://www.mycheck.io
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INVENTORY/PURCHASING

- New Luxury Hotel, Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, Implements the InvoTech RFID Uniform System for Efficient Uniform Department Operations
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New Luxury Hotel, Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, Implements the InvoTech RFID Uniform System for Efficient Uniform Department Operations
InvoTech Systems Inc. announced the recent implementation of its Uniform System at the new Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills that opened June 1. InvoTech Systems is a leading provider of advanced linen management, laundry and uniform systems that integrate the latest RFID technology to increase profitability for hotels, resorts, casino operators, sports arenas, convention centers and theme parks. The InvoTech System installed at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills manages the uniform inventory for 400 employees, and joins InvoTech System’s extensive client portfolio of Hotels & Resorts worldwide.
http://www.invotech.com
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SPA/GOLF/LEISURE ACTIVITIES

- GEMtouch Announces General Availability of its Signature Guest Experience Management Solution After Successful Pilot
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GEMtouch Announces General Availability of its Signature Guest Experience Management Solution After Successful Pilot
GEMtouch, the travel technology startup in hotel and resort guest activity management solutions, announced the general availability of its signature GEMtouch Guest Experience Management Solution. The announcement follows the completion of a year-long, phased pilot of the cloud-native, software-as-a-service solution at the award winning Chatham Bars Inn, a four star resort which occupies some of the best shoreline on Massachusetts’ Cape Cod.
http://www.gem-touch.com
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PAYMENT PROCESSING

- Shift4 Announces Integration to the Oracle Payment Interface
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Shift4 Announces Integration to the Oracle Payment Interface
Shift4, an innovative leader for secure payment solutions and services provider announced the general availability of its integration to the Oracle Payment Interface (OPI). This integration provides fast, secure and reliable payment processing to thousands of merchants who use Oracle’s point-of-sale and property management solutions. Shift4 continues to work with Oracle as an existing Gold Partner and a member of the Oracle Partner Network.
http://www.shift4.com, http://www.oracle.com/hospitality
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DATA SECURITY AND CYBER ATTACKS

- VENZA Announces New Data Breach Protection for Everest Package Customers
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VENZA Announces New Data Breach Protection for Everest Package Customers
VENZA has announced that, effective immediately, all customers with an active license of its “Everest” package will receive $100,000 in data breach coverage from North American Data Security Risk Purchase Group (NADS RPG), one of the most comprehensive and cost-effective breach protection programs in the payments industry. The policy applies to all of VENZA’s PCI DSS Level 2, 3 and 4 merchant accounts, regardless of whether the merchant is PCI DSS compliant at the time of the breach.
http://www.venzagroup.com
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SECURITY

- Thomas Cook Northern Europe Selects ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Mobile Access for Ocean Beach Club Crete
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Thomas Cook Northern Europe Selects ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Mobile Access for Ocean Beach Club Crete
Thomas Cook Northern Europe, a hotel and travel group with tour operators in Scandinavia, is announcing the implementation of ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Mobile Access at its concept hotel, Ocean Beach Club, on the Greek island of Crete. Guests staying at the hotel this summer will now be able to use this innovative technology to access guestrooms using their smartphones.
http://www.assaabloyhospitality.com
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HOSPITALITY EVENTS

- Hospitality Technology Pioneers Recognized with Quinquennial HFTP Award of Merit
- HFTP Announces Planning Underway for HITEC India, HITEC Asia and 2018 Club Engagement Conference
- HFTP Allied Association, China Hotel Technology Alliance (CHTA), to Lead Chinese Travel Market Session at HITEC Toronto
- HITEC Toronto Entrepreneur 20X Judges and Mentors Announced
- HSMAI Opens Nominations for Inaugural Hotel Sales Professional of the Year Awards
- The Rainmaker Group Continues Support of HSMAI Initiatives as Platinum Sponsor of 2017 Revenue Optimization Conference
- HX: The Hotel Experience Powered by AAHOA 2017 Attendee Registration Now Open
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For more information on Hospitality Events for 06/23/17

PIQUED DAN'S INTEREST

The hospitality industry eagerly awaits next week's HITEC Toronto, produced by HFTP. Below is a glimpse of some of the technology announcements leading up to the event:
- ADB to Unveil vuTyme IRE for Fiber Deployments and Showcase Streamcasting Technology at HITEC Toronto; Hosts HITEC Opening Night Party for Second Year
- dormakaba USA Inc Launches Quantum® Pixel, the next generation of Quantum Locks at HITEC
- Guestware Celebrates 20 Years of Exhibiting at HITEC
- hospitalityPulse Unveils Powerful Technology for Selling Room Features at 2017 HITEC Conference
- Intelity to Reveal Proprietary Technology at HITEC for Managing Mobile Devices
- And many more HITEC announcements that Piqued Dan’s Interest…
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For more information on Piqued Dan's Interest for 06/23/17

You-Know-What

And now for you-know-what…

A nice, calm and respectable lady went into the drug store, walked right up to the pharmacist, looked straight into his eyes, and said, "I would like to buy some cyanide."

The pharmacist asked, "Why in the world do you need cyanide?"

The lady replied, "I need it to poison my husband."

The pharmacist's eyes got big and he exclaimed, "Lord have mercy! I can't give you cyanide to kill your husband! That's against the law! I'll lose my license! They'll throw both of us in jail! All kinds of bad things will happen. Absolutely not! You cannot have any cyanide!"

The lady reached into her purse and pulled out a picture of her husband in bed with the pharmacist's wife. The pharmacist looked at the picture and replied, "Well now, that's different. You didn't tell me you had a prescription.”

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