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September 15, 2017

Siegel Sez

by: Richard Siegel

What an amazing two weeks it has been. From the business side, our annual CIO Summit that brings technology leaders in from all over the world was our biggest in 16 years with just about everybody there. As a guy who lived in Denver 20 years ago, I was amazed at what the city has done with the LoDo area around Union Station. A big thank you to the brand new Kimpton Hotel Born for having us as their first group. I convinced Mike DeFrino the CEO of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants to welcome the crowd and he did a great job. It was a love fest for all those who joined us this year. Everyone loved Denver! Ron Hardin does a nice job with highlights from the CIO Summit in his intro to the technology news that follows here. One of the more uncomfortable things at the event was those from Florida watching the news throughout the week. Hurricane Irma was approaching and projections as to where it would make the right turn toward Florida were changing almost hourly. East side of the state? West? Or right up the middle. Finally, just about everybody from Florida changed their flights to leave early on Friday morning to get back to prepare. Over the last few years the closing session on Friday led by Jeremy Rock has been one of the highlights of the Summit. It is a roundtable format where the role of the CIO and its challenges are discussed openly and honestly. What does their future hold? Are they responsible for just technology or also growing the business? Everybody shared, many stories were different and the honesty was refreshing. There is great comradery in those responsible for their company’s technology initiatives and our closing session confirmed this. What a great way to end our biggest and best CIO Summit. We do some creative things at our events. Some work and some make us wish we hadn’t done what we did, but we always learn. I am one to take chances but if something doesn’t play out the way you hoped, as long as you learn from it then it can be a positive experience. We live, we learn. Make sure you subscribe to Hospitality Upgrade at www.hospitalityupgrade.com/subscribe, as our fall issue will have a complete review of the CIO Summit along with some very interesting pictures. Thank you, Victor Vesnaver, for putting together a great program at this year’s summit.

It is now September and the events and meetings start and seem to go nonstop until early November. There is the HITEC Advisory Council in Houston of which I am honored to be a member, then the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas right after. The HFTP Annual Conference in Orlando is on the schedule along with The Lodging Conference in Phoenix. Next is the much improved HX: The Hotel Experience Powered by AAHOA in New York, the Springer-Miller HUG users’ conference, and then finally the first HITEC Dubai in mid November. Hospitality Upgrade will be at all of these events distributing our fall issue, and if you are a vendor of technology, contact Anne Boon right away at Anne@hospitalityupgrade.com. We would love to help you get your message out to an audience around the world. After hurricanes Harvey and Irma, I am hopeful that weather is a non-factor for all these fall events.

Here now is the real reason we are here, the aforementioned Ron Hardin with this week’s technology news. I will see you at the end with this week’s attempt at you-know-what.

Rich@HospitalityUpgrade.com

Introduction

by: Ron Hardin

What is it like inside the mind of a typical hospitality CIO? Actually, it’s a trick question, as there is no such thing as a “typical” CIO. This point was made abundantly evident by the attendees at the recent Hospitality Upgrade CIO Summit, held this year at Kimpton’s just-opened Hotel Born in Denver’s trendy LoDo/Union Station neighborhood. This invitation-only event brought together more than 70 senior technology leaders from most of the major hotel brands and operators. The attendees represented organizations of vastly different size and scope – from iconic individual destination properties, to management companies with a handful of hotels, and on up to the largest hotel companies in the world. It is no surprise, then, that there was a correspondingly wide range of viewpoints and priorities among those present. What may be surprising is the degree of concurrence from this diverse group on certain subjects, trends and ideas, as gleaned from the conference program and discussions among those in attendance. As usual, the discussions were frank and lively – both during the conference sessions and at the social events.

AI (artificial intelligence) is a big deal... somehow. It is an enabling technology, and is related either directly or peripherally with many emerging trends. Several sessions this year dealt with aspects of AI, starting with the lead-off presentation, “Who’s Coming to the AI Party?”, presented by Bryson Koehler, CTO, IBM Watson & IBM Cloud. The annual slot devoted to legal issues focused on the legal and practical challenges arising from AI and voice-activated services. Presented by attorney Greg Duff of Garvey Schubert Barer, it was appropriately titled, “Hey Alexa, Book Me a Room At...”. And a brisk afternoon mini-session, “Engaging Your Guests with New Technologies: Substance or Filler?”, moderated by Jeff Parker, VP of hospitality systems at Red Lion, brought forth further discussion on the merits and opportunities of AI. The apps and platforms are still in their infancy in our industry, but the consensus is that AI will underpin an expanding constellation of solutions, particularly guest-facing interactive services. The “Internet of Things” (IoT) is upon us, and it is increasingly in the mainstream to install more smart devices in hotels – thermostats, door locks, lighting, shade/drapery actuators, televisions, etc. These devices come out of the box with the ability to connect to a network, and to be controlled over that network. AI platforms already know how to control most of these devices, and they have the ability to add new “skills” as new products and services are added to the mix. Hotels will soon see the compelling logic to add the control application, whether it’s voice-activated like Alexa, or touchscreen from an in-room device, or from the guest’s device – or all three, and more. AI will also drive increasingly sophisticated interactions with customers in the hotel booking and sales process, as well as post-sale guest engagement and communications. Challenges remain to protect customer privacy and sensitive information, and to allow customers the ability to proactively enable their interaction preferences. I don’t think any of us want our hotel rooms to be listening to – and recording – our conversations without our express permission. The same goes for elevators, restrooms, driverless taxis, etc. And while the smart, voice-activated hotel room may still seem… gimmicky to some, not only will guests increasingly expect it as they adopt similar technology in their personal spaces, but the real value will be in the ability to more tightly manage energy usage and provide increasingly personal and proactive service levels to our guests. Alexa, make me a martini – shaken, dry, with olives, please.

Ron Hardin
RonHardin.TECH Consulting
Ron@ronhardin.tech
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Recent headlines, from Hospitality Upgrade

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MERGERS and ACQUISITIONS

- ALICE Announces Acquisition of GoConcierge
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ALICE Announces Acquisition of GoConcierge
ALICE, an operations platform that empowers hotels to deliver a better guest experience through consistently excellent service, announced the acquisition of GoConcierge, a leading concierge software platform. As part of the acquisition, ALICE welcomes approximately 1,000 GoConcierge hotel customers to its community, with a promise to continue both companies’ tradition of delivering industry-leading service technology.
http://info.goconcierge.net, https://info.aliceapp.com
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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

- Enseo® Expands Executive Bench, Continues Media Network Growth
- NAVIS Adds Two Powerhouse Technology Entrepreneurs to Advisory Board
- Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group Appoints Terry Sanders Chief Development Officer for the Americas
- Carlson Rezidor Appoints Katerina Giannouka As President Of Asia Pacific
- Charles Snyder Appointed Vice President of Business Development for Charlestowne Hotels
- Hard Rock International Appoints Andrew Nasskau as Vice President of Operations Development
- Hilton Appoints Craig Dezern as New Vice President of Brand Communications
- Host Hotels & Resorts Appoints Michael D. Bluhm Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer to Succeed Gregory Larson Entering Retirement
- IHG Forms New Operating Region for Europe, Middle East, Asia & Africa Leading to Two Regional Chief Executive Officer Appointments
- MGM Resorts International Appoints Kelly Smith Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer
- Montage International Appoints Brian Karaba Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
- Pegasus Solutions Announces Two New Executive Hires
- sbe Hotel Group Appoints Chadi Farhat as Chief Operating Officer of the Middle East and Europe
- Former Steigenberger CEO Puneet Chhatwal Named as New CEO for Taj Hotels
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For more information on People on the Move for 09/15/17

GUEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

- Maestro PMS Integrates with Listrak Digital Marketing to Increase Bookings, Guest Loyalty
- b4checkin’s b4easypost Achieves Oracle Validated Integration with Oracle Hospitality OPERA
- StayNTouch Partners with Bunkhouse Group to Bring PMS Mobility to Independent Hotel Portfolio
- PMS Software Evaluation Scorecard from StayNTouch Ensures Hotels Can Find Their Ideal Property Management System
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For more information on Guest Management Systems for 09/15/17

RESERVATIONS

- SiteMinder Partners with PriceTravel Holding and Despegar, Says it is Committed to Latin America’s Hotels
- Vertical Booking Increases Its Reach in North America
- eRevMax Completes Two-way Integration with Winhotel PMS
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For more information on Reservations for 09/15/17

REVENUE MANAGEMENT

- Rainmaker President Tammy Farley Presents Revenue Generation Session at AAHOA’s 2017 Women Hoteliers Conference
- Rainmaker’s Angie Dobney Demonstrates Revenue and Guest Loyalty Optimization Strategies at BITAC Casino Resorts 2017
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Rainmaker President Tammy Farley Presents Revenue Generation Session at AAHOA’s 2017 Women Hoteliers Conference
The Rainmaker Group (Rainmaker), the hotel revenue and profit optimization cloud, announced that its president and co-founder, Tammy Farley, is a featured speaker at the 2017 AAHOA Women Hoteliers Conference, Sept. 15-16 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Anaheim North in Anaheim, Calif. Hosted by the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), the event brings together female hoteliers and top executives from across the country for networking, education and professional development. Attendees include property owners, general managers and senior leaders in the hospitality industry.
http://www.letitrain.com/
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Rainmaker’s Angie Dobney Demonstrates Revenue and Guest Loyalty Optimization Strategies at BITAC Casino Resorts 2017
The Rainmaker Group (Rainmaker), the hotel revenue and profit optimization cloud, was tapped to share expert insight on revenue optimization and guest loyalty with attendees at this year’s BITAC Casino Resorts conference. The conference was held August 27 through August 29 at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. The inaugural gaming-focused event serves to educate and strengthen relationships among casino property executives and leading industry suppliers. Angie Dobney, vice president of hospitality solutions for Rainmaker, took part in an informative panel discussing how overall property profitability can be optimized without sacrificing service quality or negatively impacting the guest experience.
http://www.letitrain.com/
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GUEST SERVICES

- ADB Announces Achieving the Significant Milestone of Deploying 1 Million IP STB’s in North America
- BroadView IP Launches New Affordable Hotel Entertainment Solution for Hotel IPTV
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ADB Announces Achieving the Significant Milestone of Deploying 1 Million IP STB’s in North America
ADB, a premier provider of end-to-end TV solutions for broadcast and broadband, announced achieving the momentous milestone of deploying 1 million IP STBs in the North American market. ADB delivers innovative, award-winning television viewing experiences worldwide. It is one of the fastest growing hotel iTV providers, and the second largest iTV platform in the United States.
http://www.adbglobal.com/
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BroadView IP Launches New Affordable Hotel Entertainment Solution for Hotel IPTV
BroadView Live is the latest alternative for hotel TV beyond cable, satellite and other hotel IPTV systems. The newly launched product from BroadView IP allows hospitality providers to bring entertainment revenues back to the glory days of video on demand and drive continuous commissions with the ability to generate revenue beyond the guest’s stay. This revolutionary global service offering delivers millions of TV episodes, movies, live channels, live events, music videos, radio stations, games, and more across the hotel network, in the guestrooms and onto guest devices. BroadView Live also allows guests to cast content from their mobile devices to the TV.
http://www.BroadViewIP.com
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PERSONALIZATION/GUEST EXPERIENCE

- ALICE Raises $26 Million Series B Funding from Expedia, Inc.
- INTEREL Secures €10m Growth Capital to Fuel Expansion of Its Internet of Things (IoT) Solutions for the Hospitality Industry
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ALICE Raises $26 Million Series B Funding from Expedia, Inc.
ALICE, an operations platform that empowers hotels to deliver a better guest experience through consistently excellent service, announced it has secured $26 million in Series B funding from Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE), one of the world’s largest online travel companies. The completed investment makes Expedia® a majority shareholder in ALICE and deepens the commercial cooperation between the two companies that was originally established with an equity investment in 2015.
https://info.aliceapp.com
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INTEREL Secures €10m Growth Capital to Fuel Expansion of Its Internet of Things (IoT) Solutions for the Hospitality Industry
Jolt Capital SAS, an independent and growing private equity firm, regulated by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF), has announced the investment of €10 million in INTEREL, a leading provider of IoT solutions for the hospitality industry. Modern hotels deploy interconnected devices and rely on data analytics to optimize performance. INTEREL’s Hotel of Things™ ecosystem enables this by connecting people, devices and data, and with the world’s first online water management system and its award-winning guestroom management system, INTEREL revolutionizes guest experience, improves operational performance and drives sustainability for hotels.
http://www.interelme.com
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MARKETING/MANAGEMENT

- HeBS Helps Create New Look for Historic Chicago Hotel’s Website
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HeBS Helps Create New Look for Historic Chicago Hotel’s Website
The Blackstone, a historic Chicago property, was looking to revive its online presence and communicate a luxurious experience through a new website. As a new addition to the Autograph Collection, it was in need of an online identity as unique and stunning as the hotel itself. The Blackstone teamed up with HEBS Digital to create a superior, revenue-driving website that showcases all of the exceptional features of the property.
http://www.hebsdigital.com
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BACK OFFICE

- Peachtree Hotel Group Chooses Profitsword for Business Intelligence Platform
- UniFocus LMS Introduces Mobile 2.0 for Faster, More Flexible Scheduling On-the-Go
UniFocus, the Dallas-based provider of some of the service industry’s most
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Peachtree Hotel Group Chooses Profitsword for Business Intelligence Platform
With the goal of improving operational efficiencies and providing a real-time reporting platform for management, Peachtree Hotel Group (PHG), one of the nation’s fastest-growing hotel investment and management platforms, has chosen ProfitSword and the ProfitSage suite of applications for its portfolio of hotels. Peachtree operates 34 hotels concentrated in the southeastern United States with Comfort, Starwood, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG and Hilton brands. ProfitSage is a web-based financial business intelligence application providing users with data in real time.
http://www.profitsword.com
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UniFocus LMS Introduces Mobile 2.0 for Faster, More Flexible Scheduling On-the-Go
UniFocus, the Dallas-based provider of some of the service industry’s most comprehensive workforce management systems and tools, has introduced the next generation of its mobile app. Mobile 2.0 amplifies the benefits of the original mobile version: It streamlines employee-manager communications, empowers employees to manage their schedules from anywhere at any time, enables managers to stay on the floor and focused on customers with real-time alerts, and simplifies approval processes. This new version harnesses the industry-leading functionality of UniFocus LMS and Time & Attendance for managers and employees on the go, while adding an impressive array of new features for faster, more flexible scheduling and attendance tracking/compliance from any location.
http://www.UniFocus.com
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PAYMENT PROCESSING

- Squirrel Systems Completes U.S. EMV Implementation for Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants
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Squirrel Systems Completes U.S. EMV Implementation for Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants
Squirrel Systems, a leading technology provider to the hospitality industry, announced the successful implementation of EMV payments using the Merchant Link gateway with Copper Cellar Restaurant Group at Calhoun’s in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Squirrel Systems and Merchant Link have implemented a semi-integrated EMV payment architecture in which no cardholder data is transmitted through or stored in the point of sale system, reducing PCI scope. Copper Cellar is currently using wired payment devices that accept chip cards to securely process payments. The multi-unit and multi-concept restaurant group is looking forward to eventually rolling out wireless pay at the table devices as well.
http://www.merchantlink.com/, https://www.squirrelsystems.com/
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F&B/POINT OF SALE

- The Palms Hotel & Spa Selects Agilysys Solution Suite to Streamline F&B Delivery, Enhance Guest Service
- Rotana Hotel Management Corporation Selects Its Next-generation Point-of-sale System from Xn protel Systems
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The Palms Hotel & Spa Selects Agilysys Solution Suite to Streamline F&B Delivery, Enhance Guest Service
Agilysys, Inc., a leading global provider of next-generation hospitality software solutions and services, announced that The Palms Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach has selected a suite of software solutions – including InfoGenesis® POS, InfoGenesis® Flex and rGuest® Pay – to streamline food and beverage delivery and enhance guest service at the 251-room luxury property. The management team at the The Palms Hotel & Spa wanted a point-of-sale system that offered a reliable mobile option so that servers could easily take and place orders anywhere, including poolside and beachside. They also wanted a payment gateway solution that would protect sensitive cardholder data. The Agilysys solutions met the property’s criteria, with features and functionality that will help the resort streamline food and beverage delivery and provide exceptional guest service.
http://www.agilysys.com/
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Rotana Hotel Management Corporation Selects Its Next-generation Point-of-sale System from Xn protel Systems
Global hospitality management software company Xn protel Systems announced Rotana Hotel Management Corporation is implementing xnPOS in its Centro Hotels in Saudi Arabia. The system will be hosted at Rotana’s data center in Abu Dhabi to provide centralized point-of-sale operations. xnPOS will then be deployed to new hotel openings. In addition, Rotana Hotels is also using myHotel and myDining by Neorcha, a Xn protel partner. Rotana Hotel Management Corporation (Rotana) was founded in 1992, it opened its first property, the Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi, in 1993 and is today one of the leading hotel management companies in the Middle East, Africa and Turkey.
http://www.xnprotel.com
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DATA SECURITY AND CYBER ATTACKS

- Valencia Group Chooses VENZA to Help Improve Its Security Posture
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Valencia Group Chooses VENZA to Help Improve Its Security Posture
Valencia Group, a leading luxury hospitality management company, has partnered with VENZA to improve its security posture. The first phase of implementation includes a PCI Readiness Assessment to identify data vulnerabilities. VENZA’s PCI Readiness Assessment provides customers a better understanding of how information is controlled and protected across their business and technology elements.
http://www.venzagroup.com/
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SECURITY

- McLaren Technologies Completes Australia’s First Full-service App Project Incorporating "Keyless" Hotel Entry for Guests
- OpenKey Named Exclusive Mobile Key Provider For IBC Hospitality Technologies
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McLaren Technologies Completes Australia’s First Full-service App Project Incorporating "Keyless" Hotel Entry for Guests
The key to guest satisfaction, sustainability and overall hotel efficiency might actually be as simple as not making a traditional room key available. That’s the theory spearheading the trend for keyless hotel room entry, currently making headlines in Australia. MiKEY, a mobile room key solution by Intelity, debuted at the Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley last month, presented as part of an innovative new service app supplied and installed by Asia Pacific’s leading hotel tech partner, McLaren Technologies.
http://www.mclarenint.com, http://www.intelitycorp.com
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OpenKey Named Exclusive Mobile Key Provider For IBC Hospitality Technologies
An exclusive technology partnership between OpenKey and IBC Hospitality Technologies is now enabling independent hotels worldwide to offer the in-demand mobile service to guests who prefer to bypass the front desk, go straight to their rooms upon arrival, and use their smartphones as room keys. The partnership is a win-win; OpenKey will grow its customer base by bringing its innovative mobile keyless entry services to IBC’s independent hotel clients all over the world, and IBC will further enhance its technology portfolio by adding yet another cutting-edge, convenient and desirable mobile guest solution.
http://www.ibchospitality.com, http://www.openkey.co
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HOSPITALITY EDUCATION

- AHLEF Awards Nearly $1 Million in Scholarships to Hospitality Students
- CHTA Education Foundation Awards More Than $130,000 in Scholarships This Year
- HFTP Hospitality DPO Task Force Outlines Objectives as Industry Prepares for GDPR May 2018 Deadline
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For more information on Hospitality Education for 09/15/17

PHILANTHROPY

- HFTP Helps 2017 to Support Medically-Sound Children’s Camp via Silent Auction Fundraiser
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HFTP Helps 2017 to Support Medically-Sound Children’s Camp via Silent Auction Fundraiser
International association Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP^®) will host its third HFTP Helps silent auction fundraiser at its upcoming HFTP Annual Convention in ChampionsGate, Fla. Created to support the local communities that host HFTP’s Annual Convention each October, the HFTP Helps 2017 fundraiser will benefit Camp Boggy Creek, a free, safe and medically-sound 232-acre camp that enriches the lives of children ages 7 to 16 who have been diagnosed with serious illnesses and their families. The camp is located in the Orlando area, and has been a long-time recipient of fundraising campaigns held by the HFTP Mid-Florida Chapter.
http://hftp.org/
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HOSPITALITY EVENTS

- Neuroscientist Dee O'Neill to Help Attendees Realize Economic Gains from Innovative Thinking at Global Gaming Expo
- HFTP Announces Re-branded Annual Convention Formal Event, HFTP’s Annual Tribute to Success
- HSMAI Celebrates 90th Anniversary, Honors Leaders; Greater New York Receives Chapter of the Year Award
- HSMAI Celebrates Adreana Bailey and Jane Pearsall as Hotel Sales Professionals of the Year
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For more information on Hospitality Events for 09/15/17

PIQUED OUR INTEREST

- The Last Auto Mechanic
- Is it Really Technology that Makes a Smart Hotel?
- Robot Butlers? You Can Find Them at This New Streeterville Hotel
- 66% Of Hotel Guests Want VR Tours, 59% Voice Assistants
- Most Hotel Apps Still Need a Radical Overhaul
- Oracle Hospitality Stumbled in MICROS Integration But Says It Has Recovered
- Critical Bluetooth Flaws Put Over 5 Billion Devices At Risk Of Hacking
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For more information on Piqued Our Interest for 09/15/17

You-Know-What

And now for you-know-what…

A Redskins fan, an Eagles fan, a Patriots fan and a Colts fan are climbing a mountain and arguing about who loves their team more. The Redskins fan insists he is the most loyal. "This is for the Redskins!" he yells, and jumps off the side of the mountain. Not to be outdone, the Eagles fan shouts, "This is for the Eagles!" and throws herself off the mountain. The Colts fan is next to profess his love for his team. He yells, "This is for everyone!" and pushes the Patriots fan off the mountain.

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