MARCH 19 - APRIL 6, 2004
TOP O' THE NEWS
- On-line booking continues to grow dramatically, but GDSs and phone calls still rule
Evidence that on-line booking continues to grow steadily, and that the brands are fighting back over third-party Web sites, comes from TravelCLICK's full-year results from its 2003 eTRAK report. Internet reservations received at the central reservation offices (CROs) of the major hotel brands grew 34% in 2003 versus 2002, and the brand's own Web sites were the source of 66% of their centrally booked Internet reservations.
Despite the impressive growth of the Internet, traditional channels still predominate. The 30 major brands participating in this survey reported that 35% of their CRO reservations still come through GDS channels, with just over one third (37%) being made via phone. Internet sites now contribute 27%, a huge increase from the 5-7% of a couple of years ago. (www.travelclick.net)
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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
- Chris Wichers joins Lanyon, Inc. as Chief Operating Officer
- Don Smith named as Vice President, Hotels at SideStep
Chris Wichers has joined Lanyon, Inc. as Chief Operating Officer. With over 27 years of hotel industry experience, Mr. Wichers was most recently Vice President, Global Sales Technology for Starwood Hotels and Resorts. He began his career with Hilton Hotels Corp, with 17 years of service in positions including Vice President, Hotel Information Technology, Vice President, Front Office Operations and Regional Direction of Sales and Marketing, and was later President of technology consulting firm Datanamics, Inc.
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Don Smith has been named as Vice President, Hotels at SideStep, Inc. Mr. Smith was most recently Vice President Sales/Account Management at WorldRes, and earlier was Founder and CEO of Performance Marketing. He has also held senior level sales and marketing positions at Le Meridien Hotels and Resorts, The Pan Pacific Hotel, The Carmel Valley Ranch Resort, and Princess Hotels International.
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PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
- Ireland's Mount Wolseley orders systems from Visual One
- Emerald Hills Resort orders ImagInn Platinum
- Best Western Soldiers Field installs Ramesys' Entirety PMS on ASP basis
- Hogatex releases v 6.1.0, with multi-property Front Office and Sales & Marketing
Mount Wolseley, a new four-star 150-room resort hotel in Tullow, Ireland, has ordered property management systems from Visual One. The installation will include Property Management, Conference & Banqueting, POS, Leisure Management & Golf software; the sale was closed by RockSoft Hospitality Systems, Visual One's Irish distributor. The resort is scheduled to open in mid 2004. (www.mountwolseley.ie, www.visualonesystems.com)
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The Emerald Hills Resort, a 119-room luxury property in Florien, LA, has ordered Ramesys' ImagInn Platinum PMS.
The 214 room Best Western Soldiers Field in Rochester, MN, has installed Ramesys' Entirety PMS on an ASP basis. The 17-user system includes Entirety Front Desk, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and web reservation modules; the property is working with Ramesys to develop a custom Sales & Catering module.
(www.emeraldhillsresort.com, www.soldiersfield.com, www.us.ramesys.com)
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Hogatex has released version 6.1.0, adding multi-property capabilities to its Front Office and Sales & Marketing modules. The other two Hogatex modules, Corporate Conference Manager and Financial Management, have been multi-property solutions for several years. Pilot hotel for the latest version was Grand Hotels Bad Ragaz in Switzerland. The system is also available on an ASP basis, hosted by Hogatex' partner Amadeus at its data center in Erding, Munich. (www.hogatex.com)
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RESERVATIONS
- Sterling Valley launches v 4.0 of Inntopia online vacation booking application
- Electrobug's Hotel Channel Manager to be used by EasyRMS and Leading Hotels of the World
- Accovia announces dynamic Pricing Rule Engine for its Web-based Selling System Platform
- Datalex to implement its Internet booking engine on United Airlines' Web site
- Datalex contracted to supply new travel agency technology platform for Japan Travel Bureau
Sterling Valley Systems has launched version 4.0 of its Inntopia online vacation booking application. Enhancements include dynamic packaging capabilities and new sales channel management, greater rate flexibility, simpler online administration, more extensive reporting capabilities and customizable booking screens. The new build complies with the latest OTA specifications, and extends the Inntopia Innterface XML-based interface to existing PMS and CRS systems. (www.inntopia.com)
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Electrobug Technologies' Hotel Channel Manager online competitor price-checking product is being incorporated into EasyRMS' EZ Compete module, and is being offered as a customized tool for members of The Leading Hotels of the World. Electrobug provides data both from GDSs and from Internet rates. (www.lhw.com, www.easyrms.com, www.electrobug.com)
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Accovia announced a dynamic Pricing Rule Engine for its Web-based Selling System Platform. Business rules can be established on such parameters as departure and return dates, minimum and maximum stay requirements, package or individual product codes, passenger type and age, market, brand and location to determine the rate to be offered. (www.accovia.com)
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Datalex will implement its Internet booking engine on United Airlines' Web site as part of a reservations hosting technology and network management contract between United and Galileo.
Datalex has also been contracted to supply a new travel agency technology platform for JTB Corp., Japan's leading travel agency group, the first such contract to be awarded by JTB to a foreign technology company.
(www.datalex.com)
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MARKETING / MANAGEMENT
- Gaylord Texan implements UniFocus' measurement and performance management systems
The Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, which opened on April 2, has implemented UniFocus' measurement and performance management systems. The 1,511-room property includes 400,000 square feet of meeting space and a spa, and is using UniFocus' Watson, R.M. labor scheduling/management application, GUESTScope guest satisfaction survey tool, STAFFScope to measure employee attitudes, and MEETINGScope relationship management system for meeting planners. (www.unifocus.com)
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F&B/POINT OF SALE
- MICROS and Merchant Link announce MICROS 9700 credit card processing via the Internet
- Gaylord Texan installs InfoGenesis' Revelation POS at 28 F&B and retail profit centers
- ICE Las Vegas nightclub orders Revelation
MICROS and payment services provider Merchant Link have co-developed a MICROS 9700 HMS module for high-speed processing of credit card transactions via the Internet to Merchant Link's secure siteNET Gateway. (www.merchantlink.com, www.micros.com)
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The newly-opened Gaylord Texan has installed InfoGenesis' Revelation POS system, with 82 IBM SurePOS 500 touch screen terminals and 15 handheld terminals for food and beverage and retail transactions at 28 profit centers. The installation is part of a phased Revelation rollout at all Gaylord properties
The new ICE Las Vegas nightclub has ordered InfoGenesis' Revelation POS system. The 17,000-square-foot club will use 22 IBM SurePOS touch screen terminals in five bars, and will use VIP smart cards to reward regular clients. (www.gaylordhotels.com, www.icelasvegas.com, www.infogenesis.com)
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GUEST SERVICES
- StayOnline says wireless usage rates up 400% last year, now equal wired rates
- AmericInn International signs Guest-Tek as exclusive HSIA provider for 200 properties
- Royal Host REIT installing DataValet's wireless HSIA at 36 properties
- Millennium & Copthorne implementing Teledex ExpressNet HSIA in 14 properties
- Starwood unveils Starguest Response centralized guest-request tracking system
- Eaton Hotel Hong Kong implements inter-touch wireless HSIA in F&B outlets and banquet/function rooms
Wireless-only high speed Internet access provider StayOnline reports that usage rates at its customer properties nationwide jumped 400% from January to December of 2003 while the number of installed properties doubled. StayOnline states that usage rates continue to show rapid growth during the first quarter of 2004, and now equal the rates at competing wired properties. (www.stayonline.net)
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AmericInn International signed Guest-Tek Interactive as the exclusive provider of high-speed Internet access for the 200 properties in its AmericInn Lodging System. Six properties already use the system; it is scheduled to be available in all properties by early 2005. (www.americinn.com, www.guest-tek.com)
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The Royal Host REIT is installing DataValet's high-speed wireless Internet access at 36 properties. Service will be provided in guestrooms, public areas, meeting rooms and conference facilities. (www.royalhost.com. www.datavalet.com)
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Millennium & Copthorne Hotels will implement Teledex ExpressNet high-speed Internet access in all its 14 properties in North America. The project will install wired access in the guestrooms as well as wireless access in lobby and restaurant areas. (www.millenniumhotels.com, www.teledex.com)
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Starwood unveiled its centralized Starguest Response guest-request tracking system, which has been rolled out in 210 Starwood-owned Sheratons over the past 18 months. The system tracks response time to all guest requests, escalating the priority as pre-set thresholds are passed. Starguest Response is a chainwide, Java-based application service hosted at Starwood's data center in Braintree, Mass., and is planned to be extended to over 100 Westin Hotels within a year. (www.starwoodhotels.com)
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Langham Hotels' Eaton Hotel Hong Kong has implemented wireless broadband Internet access from inter-touch in all its food and beverage outlets and banquet/function rooms. Access is via a pre-paid card at HK$125 for 2 hours of use with a 3 month validity. (www.eaton-hotel.com, www.inter-touch.com)
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California-based Kasenna has launched its GuestRoom application to speed development and enhance customization options for system integrators or resellers delivering Video on Demand (VOD) systems for the hospitality and MDU markets. Integrated with Kasenna's MediaBase XMP video delivery platform, Guestroom offers pre-installed support for billing applications, a set-top box interface and administrative support for system management. (www.kasenna.com)
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ENGINEERING
- Starwood orders 250-kw Direct FuelCell power plant for Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers
Starwood Hotels & Resorts has contracted with FuelCell Energy's distribution partner PPL EnergyPlus for a 250-kilowatt Direct FuelCell power plant at the 1,750-room Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers. The newly renovated property will be the first hotel in New York City to adopt fuel cell technology applications; delivery is scheduled for this summer. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) committed to awarding $920,000 toward the project, which is expected to provide about 10 percent of the hotel's power and domestic hot water needs. Sheraton installed DFC power plants at two New Jersey suburban properties last year, the Sheraton Edison Hotel and the Sheraton Parsippany. (www.fce.com, www.starwoodhotels.com)
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SECURITY
- Sree Hospitality designates Assa Abloy as exclusive supplier of security products to 29 hotels
Sree Hospitality has designated Assa Abloy Hospitality as the exclusive supplier of security products to Sree's 29 hotel properties in Virginia, Maryland, Washington and the Carolinas. Products covered include the Elsafe and VingCard ranges; the agreement covers existing hotels as well as renovation and new construction projects. (www.sree.com, www.assaabloy.com)
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