Yes, you are going to HITEC (HITEC.ORG) in Charlotte, North Carolina, in just a few weeks. There are some great educational sessions that run the gamut on technology and managing upcoming changes. Some of these sessions will have a serious focus, and some might be on the lighter side — including the Monday morning, 9 am session that I will be moderating. We’ll share with first-time attendees and those who are relatively new to HITEC all the information you need to know to get the most out of your HITEC experience. I thank our panel who will be joining me —Sherry Marek, Mike Blake from Kemper Sports and Chris Begly from Sonesta Hotels, who is a relative newbie to HITEC and will share mistakes he made the first time he attended the show. It should be an interesting and fun session for a Monday morning.
Other than sessions and, of course, the many parties that are happening at HITEC, the biggest thing — both literally and figuratively — is the exhibit hall. Can you visit every exhibitor? Probably not. In his Definitely Doug column that follows and if you’re like Doug Rice you’ll learn why you might want to visit those that are relatively new to the industry, trying to make a name for themselves. It is a relatively quick read for Definitely Doug, but it might open your eyes to look at solutions you probably didn’t even know you needed. We thank Doug for his research and his thoughts to make your HITEC experience a bit more valuable.
One of the things I love most about HITEC is all the industry announcements that are saved for this occasion. On the vendor side there are always surprises such as which companies are now sharing a booth and sometimes it is who is in the booth selling the solutions. It’s all part of the HITEC experience. Doug shares his expectations size-wise for this year’s event and it looks very impressive.
If you want to connect at HITEC, please come by the Hospitality Upgrade/Hotel Online booth (4047). I’m rarely there, but a lot more important people than me will be present. Business aside, the biggest thrill for me at HITEC is connecting with people who have been a big part of my professional life for many years. This is a great industry with great people in it. Charlotte, here we come!
Here now is Definitely Doug followed by the latest technology news. I’ll see you at the end with this week’s attempt at you-know-what. Don’t look for me this weekend — I will be in Saratoga, New York, at the Belmont Stakes. I never bet favorites, but this time I think I will. It is all about Sierra Leone. Besides, I need a winner. See you in Charlotte.
Rich
rich@hospitalityupgrade.com
Definitely Doug 6/7/24: HITEC Innovation Preview
The annual Hospitality Industry Technology Exhibition and Conference (HITEC) starts in just over two weeks, so it is time for my annual preview. In the past few weeks, I spent many hours poring over the floor plan and exhibitor list, identifying the first-time exhibitors and researching their products and services.
There is no practical way to identify every innovation that will be on offer at HITEC, so I focus on first-time exhibitors. My rationale? First, the most disruptive innovations tend to come disproportionately from startups, or sometimes from companies who have established products in other vertical markets and who think they might be able to fulfill a need in hospitality. Second, the established vendors already have reasonable visibility with potential customers, partners, and industry influencers. If they have something truly new and interesting, they know how to get the word out and have less need for a mention here.
As of June 6, the HITEC show floor showed 354 booths reserved by 351 separate companies, plus eight smaller stands offered to the Entrepreneur 20X (E20X) competitors (one of which also has a full booth). The show floor is very slightly larger than last year, with about 82,400 square feet of rentable square exhibit space, of which 1,900 square feet were still available for the inevitable last-minute additions. Of the 351 companies, I counted 92 that are first-timers based on my records going back at least four years, plus the eight E20X contestants. That is roughly comparable to other recent years, with about 26% first-timers.
Fifteen hours of exhibit time is not enough to see every booth, or even every first-time exhibitor. I make a concerted effort to visit all the new ones at least briefly, but often their staff are busy or absent when I stop by, even when I try multiple times. My advance research helps me to prioritize the must-sees vs. the hope-to-sees, so I know where I want to be persistent.
This week I will share my priorities for who I plan to visit at HITEC. Because there are so many first-time exhibitors, I do not spend floor time looking at those who have exhibited in past years. But if your company has something groundbreaking to show and is not a first-timer, I am always happy to schedule time for virtual updates before or after (see contact info below).
My summary below was current as of June 6 but will continue to evolve as the date approaches and last-minute changes occur. I have excluded the E20x competitors because I will be one of the competition judges and want to remain unbiased for now, but I encourage you to attend the pitch competition on Wednesday morning; there are always interesting companies who present at E20x.
Douglas Rice
Email: douglas.rice@hosptech.net
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ricedouglas
CORPORATE NEWS
The Access Group Expands in North America with Acquisition of Hotel Tech Specialist SHR Group
Access will pair SHR’s capabilities with those of Guestline, a Property Management Software (PMS) with customers across DACH and Europe, which it acquired last year.
shrgroup.com
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
Shiji Distribution Solu tions Sees Remarkable Growth, Announces Key Promotions
In order to support success and plan for future growth, Anson Lau was promoted to Managing Director - Global, Natalie Kimball was named Vice President of Strategic Accounts, Americas & EMEA, and Lluc Pons was promoted to Director of Strategic Account Sales.
www.shijigroup.com
HFTP Announces 2024 Inductees to the Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame: Floor Bleeker and Terence Ronson; Honored at HITEC 2024 Next Month
The industry icons will be recognized for their influential roles in advancing hospitality technology in a special presentation on June 25, 2024.
www.hftp.org
GUEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Strawberry Completes Rollout of Mews Across Portfolio of 230 Hotels
9,000 hotel employees across almost 230 of the group’s hotels are now all using Mews, enabling ease-of-use and consistency across Strawberry’s staff.
www.mews.com
Maestro Cloud & On Premises All-In-One PMS Showcasing Game Changing Innovations for Independents at HITEC
As a 20-year platinum sponsor of the hospitality industry's premier technology tradeshow, the hotel industry's preferred provider of property-management solutions for independent hotels will be available at Booth 1844 June 24 to 27.
www.maestropms.com
Crystal Springs Resort Re-engages Maestro PMS’ All-In-One Multi-Property Solution to Boost Hotel and Spa Operations
Keeping track of two hotels, ten dining outlets, eight wedding venues, six golf courses, and more proved challenging until management decided to abandon its existing property-management system and return to its former solution, Maestro PMS.
www.maestropms.com
RESERVATIONS & DISTRIBUTION
Accor & Amadeus Announce a New Collaboration
Amadeus and Accor expand their strategic partnership, with Accor implementing Amadeus’ Central Reservation System (ACRS) for its extensive portfolio of properties globally.
www.amadeus-hospitality.com
GUEST FACING TECHNOLOGY
IRIS Announces Investment in Middle East, Following Growth in Demand for Digital Ordering Across Hospitality Sector
The global provider of digital F&B and guest experience platforms for the hospitality industry set to introduce latest features following growth across the region.
iris.net
InnSpire Integration with Optii Leverages AI to Optimize Hotel Operational Efficiency, Guest Service and Satisfaction
Strategic AI-powered technology partnership to enhance operational efficiency at The Don CeSar, while ensuring a seamless end-to-end guest experience.
www.innspire.com
MARKETING
Lodging Interactive Launches Next-Level Social Media Service to Drive Hotel Revenue
Commingle Social Media Amplified enables hotels to capture new revenue opportunities that have been missed until now.
www.lodginginteractive.com
SALES & CATERING, GROUPS & MEETINGS
SONIFI Develops Network Management Tool for Hotel Conference and Event Services
The Event Manager feature is part of SONIFI’s authentication and management portal (AMP) for its HSIA customers. Through it, hotel and AV staff can easily configure custom networks for secure Wi-Fi in specific spaces.
sonifi.com
Las Vegas Leads in Meetings and Events Growth in May With an 18.5 Percent Uptick Reports Knowland
Knowland reported that Las Vegas took the lead in group business with a solid 18.5 percent growth in May year-over-year (YoY). Oahu Island pulled in second at 17.9 percent YoY growth.
www.knowland.com
Knowland Announces Sub-Market Data Enhancement to Market Snapshot Report
Localized data enables hotel sales teams to quickly identify and pursue top local targets and new-to-market accounts, jumpstarting potential new business.
www.knowland.com
BACK OFFICE
Brandt Hospitality Group Getting Great Results from Accounting Software Partner
After a thorough search for the best hospitality solution on the market, Brandt Hospitality Group selected PVNG from Aptech.
www.aptech-inc.com
COMMUNICATIONS & INFRASTRUCTURE
Kasa Sunset Los Angeles Partners with Hotel Internet Services for Latest Industry Standards in Guest WiFi
Tech-oriented aparthotel ensures guests can seamlessly access fast and reliable internet whether for work or leisure.
www.hotelwifi.com
FOOD & BEVERAGE
Oliver & Bonacini Hospitality Transitions All Restaurants, Catering, and Entertainment Venues Across Canada to Silverware POS
With an immediate need to update and standardize its point-of-sale systems across 30 restaurants plus event venues and other partners, and enable corporate to self-manage and maintain all systems, Oliver & Bonacini Hospitality (O&B) has transitioned to Silverware POS.
www.silverwarepos.com
OPERATIONS
HotelTechReport Surpasses 50,000 Authentic Product Reviews, Marking Growth in the Global Hotel Software Market
This milestone represents a significant achievement for the hotel software community, underscoring the platform’s commitment to transparency, quality, and user-driven content.
hoteltechreport.com
Amadeus Elevates Hotel Operational Standards with Launch of New HotSOS Housekeeping
The cutting-edge operations and housekeeping software intelligently leverage automation to drive the productivity needed to succeed in today’s competitive landscape.
www.amadeus-hospitality.com
HOSPITALITY EVENTS AND ASSOCIATION NEWS
Payment Security Super Session at HITEC will Feature Technology and Finance Leaders from the Hotel and Club Sectors Plus a Fraud Specialist from the Banking Industry
The HITEC 2024 educational panel discussion, “Payment Security in a Changing Global Landscape – Club and Hotel Operations,” has been announced as a Super Session to be held Wednesday, June 26, 2024, at the Charlotte Convention Center.
www.profact.com
Agilysys to Participate in Baird 2024 Global Consumer, Technology & Services Conference
Agilysys, Inc., a leading global provider of hospitality software solutions that deliver High Return Hospitality, today announced it was participating in 2024 Baird Global Consumer, Technology & Services Conference, held in person in New York City June 4-6, 2024.
www.agilysys.com
HSMAI Global Launches Certified Hotel Sales Leader (CHSL) Certification
This new program is designed to recognize the expertise of hotel sales leaders, emphasizing the most up-to-date sales and commercial principles, practices, and strategies.
hsmai.org
HSMAI Americas Announces 2024 Marketing and Revenue Optimization Honorees
“We’re honored to present this year’s awards to a group of distinguished leaders who embody the commercial excellence HSMAI strives to recognize,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHBA, president and CEO, HSMAI.
hsmai.org
VENZA Joins Expert Cybersecurity Session at HITEC 2024
VENZA, a leading provider of data protection and regulatory compliance solutions for the hospitality industry, today announced that CEO Daniel Johnson will join a panel of experts in a cybersecurity educational session at the upcoming Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC).
www.VENZAgroup.com