by
Rich Siegel
10.18.2024
Siegel Sez 10/18/24
I’ve lived in Atlanta now for 32 years.
CORPORATE NEWS
Hotel tech specialist SHR and Host PMS become go-to-market partners in Spain, Portugal and Latin America
Hotel technology specialist SHR has established a landmark partnership with Host Hotel Systems, the PMS for hotels, to go to market in some of the world’s major tourism locations as a complete package of tools.
shrgroup.com hostpms.com
Hilton and Be My Eyes Launch Industry‑First Partnership to Enhance the Hilton Stay for Guests who are Blind or Low Vision
Hilton, a global leader in hospitality, announced today an industry-first, exclusive partnership with Be My Eyes to ensure guests who are blind or have low vision can experience a more accessible, seamless and welcoming stay. Together with Be My Eyes, Hilton is making available AI-powered assistance and dedicated Hilton Reservations and Customer Care support to guests who are blind or have low vision across the U.S. and Canada.
www.hilton.com www.bemyeyes.com
Cendyn Acquires Knowland and Announces Private Equity Partner Haveli Investments
Cendyn, a global hospitality cloud-based technology company, has acquired Knowland, the US-based leader in data-as-a-service intelligence on meetings and events for hospitality. The strategic acquisition presents an opportunity to enhance sales prospecting by yielding greater bookings in the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and events) space.
cendyn.com www.knowland.com
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
Jeff Bzdawka Joins Hapi as President
Hapi, a leading provider of hospitality data and connectivity solutions, announces the appointment of Jeff Bzdawka as company President. Bzdawka brings over 30 years of hospitality experience to Hapi, with a proven track record of building customer and colleague-focused solutions, scaling teams, and driving growth.
www.hapicloud.io
Mews Announces SaaS IPO Icon, Steve Cakebread, to Join Its Board
Mews, a cloud SaaS and fintech platform that serves the hospitality industry, has announced today the appointment of Steve Cakebread to the company’s board.
Mews
GUEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino Partners with Travel Outlook to Elevate Guest Service Experience
Travel Outlook, a premier hotel call center, proudly announces its latest partnership with Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino, a leading gaming and entertainment destination in the Pacific Northwest. This collaboration will enhance the resort’s guest services by providing seamless, high-quality call center solutions. Travel Outlook’s unique combination of advanced technology and personalized human touch aligns perfectly with Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino’s commitment to offering unforgettable guest experiences.
traveloutlook.com spokanetribecasino.com
REVENUE MANAGEMENT & ANALYTICS
Kalibri Labs Unveils OTB Signals
Kalibri Labs is excited to announce the launch of OTB Signals, a groundbreaking tool designed to empower hoteliers with advanced analytics. This new solution represents the future of OTB data analysis, equipping industry professionals with the insights needed to navigate an increasingly competitive market landscape.
kalibrilabs.com
Agilysys guestsense.aiTM Powering Agilysys Spa Wins Top Productivity Technology Award at G2E 2024 and Will Be Featured in “The Lab”
Agilysys, a leading global provider of hospitality software solutions and services, today announced that guestsense.ai – artificial intelligence (AI) embedded in several Agilysys solutions to improve revenue management, staff productivity, personalized guest experiences and other advantages – now powers new capabilities in Agilysys Spa that led to the solution’s earning the Gaming and Technology Gold Award 2025 for Best Productivity-Enhancing Technology at Global Gaming Expo (G2E) 2024.
www.agilysys.com
GUEST FACING TECHNOLOGY
Famed Park Lane New York Empowers Guests with Luxury and Convenience Through Deployment of InnSpire’s Full-Featured Mobile App and Integrated Services
InnSpire, a leading provider of innovative hospitality technology solutions that help drive seamless, world-class guest experiences for some of the world’s most iconic hotels and brands, has partnered with Park Lane New York; a historic hotel located along Central Park South in Manhattan to provide a comprehensive suite of technology solutions designed to maximize and streamline the guest experience.
www.innspire.com
Famous Foods Street Eats in Resorts World Las Vegas Serves Up Modern, Innovative Guest Dining Through the Agilysys InfoGenesis Point-of-Sale Platform and Kiosks
Agilysys, a leading global provider of hospitality software solutions and services, today announced that the gourmet market and food hall Famous Foods Street Eats at Resorts World Las Vegas has chosen the Agilysys InfoGenesis Point-of-Sale platform, guest-facing kiosks and related solutions to significantly improve operational efficiency and dining experiences across 16 diverse culinary stalls in its one-of-a-kind 24,000 square-foot dining emporium.
www.agilysys.com
MARKETING
Cogwheel Analytics Announces Launch of Hotel Digital Marketing Benchmarking Scorecard
This enterprise tool is crafted to transform how hotels assess their digital marketing performance. Tailored to meet the needs of hotel management companies, ownership groups and digital marketing agencies for both branded and independent hotels.
www.cogwheelanalytics.com
Cloudbeds and Mirai Join Forces To Transform Hotel Distribution and Marketing
Cloudbeds, a leading hospitality management software platform, and Mirai, a leader in hotel distribution technology and direct booking optimization, have today announced a strategic partnership aimed at transforming how hotels manage bookings, distribution, and marketing.
www.cloudbeds.com www.mirai.com
SALES & CATERING, GROUPS & MEETINGS
STS Cloud and Cloudbeds Unveil Powerful Integration to Transform Hotel Group Sales and Event Operations
SalesAndCatering.com and Cloudbeds have announced a two-way integration that will empower hotels, resorts, and conference centers to optimize hotel group sales and event management.
salesandcatering.com www.cloudbeds.com
OPERATIONS
Ultimate All-In-One Solution: Maestro PMS + Silverware POS to Display Synched Solutions at Independent Hotel Show
At the Independent Hotel Show London, to be held October 15-16 at Olympia London, a sophisticated All-In-One solution that synchronizes both systems on a shared database will be on display in Stand #1530. Maestro PMS + Silverware POS provides a direct link between the front desk, hotel guests, and diners through CRM, gift card management, loyalty programs, VIPs, SGIs and more.
www.maestropms.com ww.silverwarepos.com
Cloudbeds Integrates PXier To Enhance Sales, Catering, and Spa Management Capabilities
Cloudbeds, a leading hospitality management software platform, has today announced a preferred partnership with PXier, a leader in sales, catering, and spa management software solutions.
www.cloudbeds.com www.pxier.com
Agilysys Unveils Software Innovations at G2E 2024 to Help Gaming Properties Enhance Efficiency and Revenue While Elevating Guest and Staff Experiences
Agilysys, a leading global provider of hospitality software solutions and services, today announced new and enhanced solutions gaming properties can use to elevate guest service, alleviate staff workload stress and streamline operations.
www.agilysys.com
SECURITY
Security Validation | SecValMSSP Named to MSSP Alert’s 2024 List of Top 250 MSSPs
For the fourth year in a row Security Validation | SecValMSSP is ranked among the Top 250 MSSPs for 2024, according to MSSP Alert, a CyberRisk Alliance resource.
securityval.com
VENZA Releases AI Training Course for Hotel Security
VENZA, a leading provider of data protection and regulatory compliance solutions for the hospitality industry, today unveiled its latest data protection and cybersecurity training course, “AI Applications in Data Security.” This course extends VENZA’s comprehensive training library to cover emerging AI-driven threats and AI-powered defenses, bringing its clients current, in-depth, advanced training on one of the most central technological changes affecting hoteliers.
venzagroup.com
VENZA Expands Language Options for Proctored Training
VENZA, a leading provider of data protection and regulatory compliance solutions for the hospitality industry, today announced the expansion of its widely popular Proctored Training course by adding Vietnamese language accessibility.
venzagroup.com
VENZA Delivers Upon its Q3 Product Roadmap
VENZA, a leading provider of data protection and regulatory compliance solutions for the hospitality industry, today announced updates to its Product Roadmap, the company’s plan for upcoming security tools and features. Q3 saw significant enhancements and additions to key VENZA offerings, including sizable expansions to its training content, risk mitigation resources, and multilingual accessibility.
venzagroup.com
VENZA Champions Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2024
VENZA, a leading provider of data protection and regulatory compliance solutions for the hospitality industry, announced today it will champion cybersecurity education by joining the 21st Annual Cybersecurity Awareness Month—the world’s foremost initiative dedicated to promoting cybersecurity awareness and best practices.
venzagroup.com
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND INTEGRATION
Tripleseat Announces Integration with Amaze Insights to Enhance Comprehensive Reporting for Hotels
Tripleseat, a leading event management software for hotels, restaurants, and unique venues, is excited to announce a new integration with Amaze Insights, a dynamic reporting platform designed to streamline data from multiple sales and catering (S&C) platforms. This integration aims to enhance the ability of hotel brands, management companies, and individual properties to drive occupancy and revenue by providing a comprehensive view of their sales data in a single, easy-to-use platform.
tripleseat.com
Hospitality America Strengthening Its Tech Stack to Enhance Business Intelligence and Decision-Making
Hospitality America is investing in its technology infrastructure aimed at revolutionizing business intelligence across its hotel portfolio. The initiative will empower leaders at both the property and corporate levels with real-time insights, actionable data, and robust forecasting capabilities to facilitate proactive and agile management.
www.hospitalityamerica.com
Aimbridge Hospitality Introduces Aimbridge Intelligence Data and Reporting Tool
Aimbridge Hospitality, a leading, global hotel management company and the world’s largest third-party hotel operator, is strengthening its technology leadership in the industry with a newly developed proprietary data reporting platform called Aimbridge Intelligence, built to provide greater transparency and collaboration with owners.
aimbridgehospitality.com
HOSPITALITY EDUCATION
The Tricycle of Guest Service Excellence: A Perfect Model For Remarkable Experiences
Join in as Doug explains how participants can use KTN’s model to help everyone understand that delivering remarkable hospitality experiences requires a “symbiotic” relationship to exist between all staff from all departments. Just like a tricycle has three wheels, there are three essential components of a memorable guest stay.
www.kennedytrainingnetwork.com
Gary Hernbroth Celebrates Release of New Book Twist the Familiar
Released on July 2, 2024, Twist the Familiar is chock full of curated stories that work as coaching lessons to help readers build their own playbook for success. It is designed to be a transformative resource for today’s success-oriented business leaders, sales professionals, entrepreneurs, or anyone who wants a boost to find that extra gear.
www.trainingforwinners.com
HOSPITALITY EVENTS AND ASSOCIATION NEWS
Supporting Communities Through the Storm: Resources for Those Impacted by Hurricane
As Florida braces for the impact of Hurricane Milton, the hospitality industry is rallying to support the state’s residents and communities throughout this challenging time. In crises like this, hotels often become places of refuge, offering shelter and resources to those in need, including first responders.
Agilysys to Report Fiscal 2025 Second Quarter Results October 28th and Host Conference Call and Webcast
Agilysys, a leading global provider of hospitality software solutions and services that deliver High Return Hospitality, announced today that it will release its fiscal 2025 second quarter results after the market closes on Monday October 28, 2024, and host a conference call and webcast at 4:30 p.m. ET that day. Both the call and webcast are open to the public.
ww.agilysys.com
HFTP India Chapter to Host the Inaugural CIO Summit in Goa
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) India Chapter is excited to announce its inaugural CIO Summit, scheduled for October 14-16, 2024, at the luxurious Taj Cidade Heritage, Goa. This landmark event will bring together industry leaders, technology innovators, and hospitality executives to delve into the rapidly evolving technological landscape within the hospitality sector.
www.hftp.org
Commitment to Knowledge: HFTP Celebrates Robert Mandelbaum’s Impact in Hospitality Research
Robert Mandelbaum, Research Director at CBRE Hotel Research, has long been a leader and educator in hospitality financial research and a dedicated contributor to HFTP. It is with great honor that HFTP will present Mandelbaum with the 2024 HFTP Paragon Award, recognizing his significant and lasting contributions to both the association and the hospitality industry. Mandelbaum will receive the award during the HFTP 2024 Annual Convention at the Keynote Session on October 23.
www.hftp.org
HFTP Donates $25,000 to American Red Cross for Hurricane Relief Efforts
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) announced today a donation of $25,000 to the American Red Cross in support of the relief efforts for communities affected by Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton. This contribution is made through HFTP's philanthropic initiative, HFTP Helps, which aims to assist those in need.
www.hftp.org www.redcross.org
AHLA, hotel industry leaders remain opposed to revised NYC hotel licensing bill
After New York City Councilwoman Julie Menin shared a new version of her hotel licensing bill with industry stakeholders, hotel industry leaders released several statements. AHLA will continue to advocate for a simple licensing bill, which achieves the safety measures that the proponents of the bill say are their stated goal.
www.ahla.com
Upcoming HFTP Annual Convention Features Top Hotelier Panelists, Featured in New HFTP Academy Micro-certificate Program
A highlight of the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals’ (HFTP) upcoming Annual Convention is the session, “Navigating Challenges in 2025: How Hotel Owners and Management Companies Can Collaborate Successfully.” Speaking on the panel are top hoteliers John Murray, president and CEO for Sonesta International Hotels Corp. and Blair Wills, president and CEO for StepStone Hospitality. Scheduled for October 23, the conversation will be moderated by Robert Mandelbaum, research director for CBRE Hotels Research and a director on the HFTP Global Board. The Annual Convention is October 23–25 at The Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino.
www.hftp.org
MARKET REPORTS
Travelers Are Spending Big This Holiday Season–With Higher Expectations Than Ever
Sojern, the leading digital marketing platform built for travel, today shares its latest travel data ahead of the holiday season and beyond. Travelers are eager to hit the road or skies, but economic concerns and inflation are widening the wealth gap.
Sojern
Chattanooga Ranks in the Top Five of Secondary Markets for the First Time in 2024
Cendyn reports that Las Vegas ranked first in the top 25 markets with 34.2 percent year-over-year (YoY) growth, positioning it in the top five markets for eight consecutive months; however, Chattanooga, Tenn. ranked in the top five secondary markets for the first time, coming in second with 62.7 percent meeting volume growth.
cendyn.com
The Hotelier’s Guide to Operational Excellence in 2025
The operational landscape continues to shift as hotels increasingly rely on data and efficiencies to stay competitive and meet guest expectations. This whitepaper explores five key areas where hotels can optimize operations, improve guest satisfaction, and drive profitability by harnessing data-driven tools and strategies.
otelier.io
.gif)
