JUNE 16 - 29, 2004
TOP O' THE NEWS
- HITEC: Emphasis on integration
Was it just me, or did there seem to be an awful lot of serious business being conducted at HITEC this year? The aisles certainly were more crowded than in recent years, and there was a definite sense of purpose in the air. Let's hope the vendors landed some sizable deals, or at least enough good leads to make their participation worthwhile; without them, there wouldn't BE a show.
The hot topic of the year was certainly Integration. HTNG brochures were everywhere, the initiative was mentioned frequently during the educational sessions, and inter-system demonstrations - HTNG-sponsored and otherwise - were to be found on booths all across the exhibition floor. Most prominent were the Microsoft and Springer Miller booths (the former showing a variety of interface scenarios, the latter going into excellent detail on those that centered around its PMS), but there were many other vendors demonstrating that inter-company cooperation to make their systems integrate more flexibly and more powerfully really does produce major improvements in real-world functionality for the hotels.
Combined with OTA's painstaking work on defining field-level message formats, significant progress has been made in a comparatively short time, a real tribute to all the vendors involved in putting aside past differences. As a number of them mentioned during an early HITEC session, the risks of sharing their systems' internal workings with their rivals was only outweighed by the risks of NOT doing so, and of being left behind as new opportunities arise. After decades of systems isolationism, we're finally making progress.
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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
- Tom Conophy promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Technology Officer at Starwood
- Chris Goblirsch appointed Director of Information Technology for Benchmark Hospitality
Tom Conophy has been promoted from Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer to Executive Vice President, Chief Technology Officer at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. Mr. Conophy joined Starwood in 2000; he was previously Senior Vice President - Strategic Architecture for Sabre, and had earlier served in several management positions with Galileo International.
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Chris Goblirsch has been appointed Director of Information Technology for Benchmark Hospitality. Mr. Goblirsch was previously system support manager at Benchmark's Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center, and has nearly 15 years of IT expertise.
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PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
- Pebble Beach selects Springer Miller for hotels, golf courses, restaurants, retail outlets and spa
- Kimpton selects HIS epitome Enterprise and Windows PMS for all 39 properties
- AmericInn standardizes on MICROS' OPERA Xpress PMS and Customer Information System
- Double Diamond implements MICROS' OPERA PMS and Activities Scheduler for three sites
- MSI announces new Enterprise PM web-deployable, centrally-hosted PMS
- NORTHWIND adds integrated POS and Dining Reservations to Maestro
- Suburban completes rollout of Maestro to 65 Extended Stay Hotels
- Gaylord Texan orders Agilysys (formerly IAD) Lodging Management System (LMS)
- Ramesys to install ImagInn Platinum at Emerald Hills Resort
- Solitude Mountain Resort selects Resort Data Processing's PMS
Pebble Beach has selected Springer Miller's SMS|Host suite for its hotels, golf courses, restaurants, retail outlets and spa. Properties to be serviced under the contract include The Lodge at Pebble Beach, The Inn at Spanish Bay and Casa Palmero, plus its four golf courses and The Spa at Pebble Beach. In addition to the PMS, Pebble Beach will install Multi-Property Management, Spa/Recreation Scheduling, Golf Tee Time Scheduling, Retail Point-of-Sale, SMS |Touch Fine Dining Point-of-Sale, Activities Management, Baggage Handling and SMS|World for Internet reservations. (www.pebblebeach.com, www.springermiller.com)
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Kimpton Hotels has ordered Hotel Information Systems (HIS)' epitome Enterprise management and business intelligence system and epitome for Windows PMS for all 39 properties. The first installation is already on-line at the Onyx Hotel in Boston, followed by the new 70 Park property in New York. (www.kimptongroup.com, www.hotelinfosys.com)
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AmericInn International is standardizing on MICROS' OPERA Xpress PMS and OPERA Customer Information System (OCIS) chain-wide, replacing its previous MICROS 3500 PMS standard. Installations are underway and are scheduled for completion in all properties by June 2006.
The Double Diamond Companies have implemented MICROS' OPERA Enterprise Solution, including the OPERA PMS and OPERA Activities Scheduler (from Concept), centrally hosted at its Dallas headquarters and serving its three properties. The OPERA Web suite for Internet booking and profile management will be added in the near term. The three sites are White Bluff Resort and The Cliffs Resort, both in Texas, and the Eagle Rock Resort in Pennsylvania.
(www.americinn.com, www.ddresorts.com, www.micros.com)
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Multi-Systems Inc. (MSI) announced its new Enterprise PM web-deployable, centrally-hosted property-management system. (www.msisolutions.com)
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NORTHWIND has added integrated POS and Dining Reservations to its Maestro Property Management Suite. The new Maestro POS uses touch screen terminals and handheld units for order taking, and is integrated with all modules of Maestro. The Internet-based Maestro Online Table Res allows guests to make dining reservations from a hotel's website at the same time as they book their room.
Suburban Hotels successfully completed the rollout of NORTHWIND's Maestro Front Office and Yield Management Systems to 65 Suburban Extended Stay Hotels, deployed on a centralized ASP architecture incorporating a centralized database to consolidate chain information. Each Suburban property has its own Yield Management module for rate maximization.
(www.suburbanhotels.com, www.maestropms.com)
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The 1,511-room Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center has ordered the Agilysys (formerly Inter-American Data) Lodging Management System (LMS), Materials Management System (MMS) and Document Management System (DMS). The hotel, which opened in April, also ordered LMS ResNet Web-enabled reservations, LMS Self-Express kiosks, LMS CASH credit card processing and LMS Guest Parcel Tracking. (www.gaylordhotels.com, www.agilysys.com)
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Ramesys will install the ImagInn Platinum property-management system at the 119-room Emerald Hills Resort in Florien, La. (www.us.ramesys.com)
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Solitude Mountain Resort has selected Resort Data Processing's PMS, including Internet Reservations and Condominium Management modules. (www.skisolitude.com, www.resortdata.com)
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RESERVATIONS
- New HTNG workgroup to focus on CRS integration with PMS, RMS, RFP and CRM systems
- inter-touch launches 'Centre of Excellence' service center in Kuala Lumpur
- Wyndham renews agreement with Cendant Travel Distribution Services
- Four non-HTNG-affiliated vendors present systems integration demonstration at HITEC
- Lexington introduces Package Select engine to book property amenities, services and activities
- TravelCLICK invests in MaximRMS, partnership releases RevenueDASHBOARD
- Accor signs three-year agreement with Pegasus for electronic distribution services
- Pegasus announces update to NetBooker Website booking engine for October release
- Avidari announces Internet reservation booking engine for third-party Web sites
- Amadeus takes controlling stake in European travel site Opodo
- Country Club Lima (Peru) Hotel and the Dorchester in London select TravelClick's iHotelier
- Millennium Hotels & Resorts USA rolling out EzRMS' Internet Product Suite to all properties
- BookingCenter integrates PMS with SynXis for GDS connectivity and Internet distribution
- SynXis updates reservation platform with a new user interface, works on hubX integration
A new Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG) work group will focus on developing interfaces between hotels' information and distribution systems by year-end 2005. The working group, sponsored by Cendant Travel Distribution Services, will include as many as 15 representatives of hotel chains and vendors, including Wyndham, IDeaS and Maxim, and will focus on interfaces between:
- central reservation systems (CRSs) and property management systems (PMSs)
- CRSs and revenue management systems (RMSs)
- PMSs and RMSs
- CRSs and request for proposal (RFP) systems, and
- CRSs and customer relationship management (CRM) systems.
(www.cendant.com, www.htng.org)
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inter-touch has launched its 'Centre of Excellence' service center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, co-locating inter-touch's Call Centre, Global Network Operations Centre and Research & Development. Staff at the 24 hours per day/7 days a week operation will provide service in several languages including Cantonese, English, Japanese, Korean, Malay and Mandarin. Additional languages, such as Arabic, are being added. (www.inter-touch.com)
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Wyndham International has renewed its agreement with Cendant Travel Distribution Services (TDS), giving TDS' brands (including Lodging.com and CheapTickets.com) greater access to rooms at Wyndham properties and those of its partners Kempinski, Pan Pacific, and Rydges Hotels. Wyndham also renewed its participation in the NEAT dynamic packaging engine. (www.wyndham.com, www.cendant.com)
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Four non-HTNG-affiliated vendors presented a systems integration demonstration at HITEC, with Blue Square Studios taking reservations on its Hotel Site Toolkit reservation engine, Hotel Booking Solutions hoboobox depositing the reservation directly into the Brilliant PMS, updating Lexington's CRS with the new availability and rates and pushing them out to the GDSs and other Lexington distribution channels.
Lexington Services has introduced Package Select, an Internet package-booking engine that allows on-line hotel shoppers to book property amenities and services such as spa treatments, tennis lessons, meals, event tickets or third-party activity reservations, as they make their hotel reservations. Package Select can display individual prices for each added service, or bundle pricing to show only the total rate.
(www.bluesqstudios.com, www.mybrilliant.net, www.vipintcorp.com, www.lexres.com, www.hotelbookingsolutions.com)
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TravelCLICK has invested in MaximRMS and signed a partnership agreement to collaborate on research & development efforts. The first joint product is their RevenueDASHBOARD, which provides an overview of a hotel's or company's forecast demand by channel, benchmarked against budget and against their competitive set, proactively identifying 'peak' and 'need' periods. (www.maximRMS.com, www.travelclick.net)
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Accor has signed a three-year Internet reservations agreement with Pegasus Solutions, connecting the CRS for its leading brands (including Sofitel, Novotel and Mercure) to Pegasus' electronic distribution switch and using Pegasus Solutions for Internet hotel distribution.
Pegasus announced an update to its NetBooker Website booking engine, to be released in October. Improvements include "look and feel" customization, flexible integration options for hosting a quick availability check, full multi-lingual support, an itinerary builder, integrated traveler Web profiles, customer communications tools, and geographic search. Pegasus RezView CRS customers can connect to NetBooker directly through an XML interface.
(www.accor.com, www.pegs.com)
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Avidari announced its Internet reservation booking engine for third-party Web sites, currently being used by LuxRes.com and SpaReservations.com (subsidiaries of Leading Hotels of the World), Hosteria Las Quintas, Birdwing Spa, Ceiba del Mar and Cal-a-Vie. (www.avidari.com)
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Amadeus has taken a controlling stake in European travel site Opodo, spending 62 million euros to build a 55% share by taking a portion of ownership from each of the nine airline owners and committing to further investment over the next two years. Other GDSs with ties to online travel portals are Sabre (which owns Travelocity) and Galileo (owned by Cendant, which also owns lodging.com and cheaptickets.com). (www.amadeus.com)
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The 75-room luxury Country Club Lima (Peru) Hotel and the 250-room luxury Dorchester in London have both selected TravelClick's iHotelier booking engine. (www.travelclick.net)
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Millennium Hotels & Resorts USA is rolling out EzRMS' Internet Product Suite to all properties, following a successful pilot at the Millennium Bostonian Hotel. (www.millenniumhotels.com, www.easyrms.com)
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BookingCenter has integrated its PMS with SynXis for GDS connectivity and Internet travel site distribution.
SynXis has updated its reservation platform with a new user interface, and is integrating it with the hubX platform it acquired recently. Enhancements include the SynXis Dashboard, which displays current reservation data, competitive rates and hotel booking pace, allows managers to update rates and availability to all distribution channels, and includes a Dynamic Yielding Tool with hotel-defined rules-based rate and inventory triggers, and a One Page Booking Engine. (www.BookingCenter.com, www.synxis.com)
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MARKETING / MANAGEMENT
- Shangri-La implements Chinese-language version of MICROS' OPERA CRS and CIS
- Great Hotels Organisation executes multiyear RFP agreement with Lanyon
- Hotel Sourcing contracts with Lanyon for custom RFP programs
The Shangri-La Hotel and Resorts group has implemented a Chinese-language version of MICROS-Fidelio's OPERA Central Reservations and Customer Information Systems to handle its 42 hotels in Asia, at a cost of more than US$ 3 million. (www.shangri-la.com, www.micros.com)
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UK-based Great Hotels Organisation has executed a multiyear agreement with Lanyon for its PropertyVault and RFPpublisher modules for its Great Hotels of the World and Special Hotels of the World brands.
Hotel Sourcing, a processor of corporate hotel programs, has contracted with Lanyon to deliver and manage custom RFP programs on behalf of small and mid-size corporations.
(www.ghorg.com, www.hotelsourcing.com, www.lanyon.com)
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REVENUE MANAGEMENT
- Nikko Hotel Mexico City implements Optims' City.Optims
- TravelCLICK invests in MaximRMS, partnership releases RevenueDASHBOARD
The 744-room Nikko Hotel Mexico City has implemented Optims' City.Optims Revenue Management System. (www.optims.com)
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TravelCLICK has invested in MaximRMS and signed a partnership agreement to collaborate on research & development efforts. The first joint product is their RevenueDASHBOARD, which provides an overview of a hotel's or company's forecast demand by channel, benchmarked against budget and against their competitive set, proactively identifying 'peak' and 'need' periods. (www.maximRMS.com, www.travelclick.net)
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SALES & CATERING, MEETING PLANNING
- InterContinental deploying Newmarket Delphi Multi-Property Edition across USA, Canada, UK and Ireland
- Interstate to implement Delphi.Net at 25 properties by year end
- Holiday Inn Express, Milford, Mass. implements Delphi.Net
- Sukhothai Bangkok, Pennsylvania State University deploy Newmarket's Delphi
InterContinental Hotels Group is deploying Newmarket International's Delphi Multi-Property Edition Sales & Catering system and Delphi Diagrams space management software across its 16 InterContinental properties in the U.S. and Canada, integrated with their PMS systems.
InterContinental is also deploying Delphi Multi Property Edition, Delphi Global Sales Edition and Delphi BI across its U.K. & Ireland properties and all sales offices in the UK.
Interstate Hotels & Resorts plans to implement Newmarket's Delphi.Net hosted Sales & Catering system at 25 of its 275 properties by year end.
The 118-room Holiday Inn Express in Milford, Mass. has implemented Newmarket's Delphi.Net hosted Sales & Catering management system.
The Sukhothai Bangkok and Pennsylvania State University's School of Hospitality Management are both deploying Newmarket's Delphi Sales & Catering application. Penn State is also implementing a suite of related Computer Based Training (CBT) modules in its classrooms.
(www.ichotelsgroup.com, www.ihrco.com, www.expressmilford.com, www.sukhothai.com, www.psu.edu, www.newmarketinc.com)
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F&B/POINT OF SALE
- NORTHWIND adds integrated POS and Dining Reservations to Maestro PMS
- InfoGenesis interfacing Revelation POS with ADACOeclipse inventory/purchasing system
- HSI releases new version of Profit Series POS system with over 180 enhancements
NORTHWIND has added integrated POS and Dining Reservations to its Maestro Property Management Suite. The new Maestro POS uses touch screen terminals and handheld units for order taking, and is integrated with all modules of Maestro. The Internet-based Maestro Online Table Res allows guests to make dining reservations from a hotel's website at the same time as they book their room. (www.maestropms.com)
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InfoGenesis has developing an interface between its Revelation POS and Adaco's ADACOeclipse inventory/purchasing system to pass product mix and sales information between the two applications. Planned benefits include more accurate menu cost analysis, online menu modeling for new menus, profitability analysis of existing menu items, and outlet theoreticals including daily item spot-checks, banquet, event, and production planning to aid event ordering processes. (www.adacoservices.com, www.infogenesis.com)
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MICROS' Hospitality Solutions International (HSI) division has released a new version of its Profit Series Point of Sale system, containing over 180 enhancements. Major changes include Terminal Offline functionality to allow continued use of individual POS terminals during network or server outages, high-speed credit card processing via the Internet, an interface to Gift Card providers, a new Speed of Service screen for use with Kitchen Display systems, and new security features compliant with Visa's current CISP mandate. (www.hsi-solutions.com)
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SPA/GOLF/LEISURE
- Double Diamond implements OPERA PMS and Activities Scheduler
The Double Diamond Companies have implemented MICROS' OPERA Enterprise Solution, including the OPERA PMS and OPERA Activities Scheduler (from Concept), centrally hosted at its Dallas headquarters and serving its three properties. The OPERA Web suite for Internet booking and profile management will be added in the near term. The three sites served are White Bluff Resort and The Cliffs Resort, both in Texas, and the Eagle Rock Resort in Pennsylvania. (www.ddresorts.com, www.micros.com)
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GUEST SERVICES
- SuiteSpeed announces Telephony Assessment service as part of HSIA pre-installation process
- Highpointe implementing StayOnline's wireless HSIA in 11 its properties by end of August
- Sailport Waterfront Suites installs StayOnline's wireless HSIA in all rooms and common areas
- Choice Hotels endorses PrinterOn as remote guest printing service vendor
- Larkspur Hospitality selects PrinterOn as standard guest printing service for 20 hotels
- PrinterOn states number of users in North American hotels doubled since January 1
- Merlot releases LapJack remotely powered in-room access device for lower-cost wireless HSIA
- Guest-Tek launches GO, packaged wireless HSIA service for smaller hotels
- LG Electronics and LodgeNet to bring satellite-sourced HDTV programs to hotel guests
- Bartech introduces upgradeable manual/semi-automatic minibars, plus a two-door unit
- Marriott has in-room high-speed Internet access at more than 2,000 hotels worldwide
- Strix Systems and IP3 Networks announce joint HSIA product offering
- Regis Hotel I implementing Wayport HSIA in nine managed properties
- Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki and Golf Club implements GoConcierge
SuiteSpeed announced a new Telephony Assessment service as part of its standard high-speed Internet access (HSIA) pre-installation process, designed to evaluate a hotel's existing voice and data network optimize performance prior to implementing HSIA. The analysis looks at traffic, line utilization, service type and other performance measure to evaluate the efficiency and expansion potential of the existing system. (www.suitespeed.com)
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Highpointe Hotel Corporation is implementing StayOnline's high-speed wireless Internet access service, and plans to have 11 of its properties on-line by the end of August. Highpointe manages 12 sites in Florida and Louisiana.
The Sailport Waterfront Suites Resort in Tampa Bay, Fla. has installed StayOnline's wireless HSIA in all 210 suites, plus the pool, restaurants and conference facility.
(www.stayonline.net)
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Choice Hotels has endorsed PrinterOn as a remote guest printing service vendor for its Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Clarion, Sleep Inn, MainStay Suites, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn brand properties.
Larkspur Hospitality has selected PrinterOn as the standard guest printing service for its hotels. 16 of its 20 locations in California, Oregon and Washington are already live.
PrinterOn Corp states that the number of guests using its in-room web-based printing service in North American hotels has doubled since January 1. The service is now active in over 60,000 rooms in North America. (www.larkspurhotels.com, www.printeron.net)
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Merlot Communications announced its LapJack remotely powered in-room wired access device, aimed at lowering the cost of wireless LAN installations. The LapJack receives its power and connectivity over regular telephone wires (which carry the broadband data) and remotely transmits that power and connectivity to the nearest Wireless Access Point without needing Power over Ethernet (PoE) injectors. (www.merlotcom.com)
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Guest-Tek has launched a packaged, wireless high-speed Internet access service called GO, aimed at smaller hotels. GO provides a turnkey solution in an integrated product which includes Guest-Tek's plug-and-play server combined with directional WiFi antenna. Guest-Tek claims that it can be installed in less than 60 minutes with no special technical knowledge required. (www.guest-tek.com)
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LG Electronics and LodgeNet Entertainment are partnering to bring satellite-sourced HDTV programming to hotel guests. The new system is based on an LG-developed off-air platform that transcodes satellite-delivered HDTV channels (such as HDNet, HBO-HD, Showtime HD, ESPN HD and Discovery HD Theater) for delivery to hotel rooms. Satellite and off-air HD content is seamlessly integrated with LodgeNet's SIGNETURE TV system. (www.lodgenet.com)
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Bartech Systems has introduced an upgradeable option for its manual and semi-automatic minibars (pre-wired for future transition to automatic operations), and a new two-door unit that combines and automatic minibar with a guest refrigerator. (www.bartech.com)
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Marriott International announced that it has completed installation of in-room high-speed Internet access at more than 2,000 hotels worldwide, 1,500 of which also offer wireless access. (www.marriott.com)
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Strix Systems and IP3 Networks announced a joint HSIA product offering that combines Strix' Access/One Network propriety mesh topology and radio frequency (RF) interaction between access points with IP3 Network's NetAccess gateway's customizable authentication and security services for managing broadband delivery. (www.strixsystems.com, www.ip3networks.com)
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Regis Hotel I, LLC is implementing high-speed Internet access from Wayport in the guestrooms, meeting rooms and common areas of nine of its managed properties, in Chicago, Williamsburg (Va.), Fresno (Calif.) and Denver. (www.wayport.net)
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The Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki and Golf Club in Oahu has implemented GoConcierge's Web-based task-tracking and database system. (www.princeresortshawaii.com, www.goconcierge.net/home)
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BACK OFFICE
- HotelTraining.com developing new range of Web-based workshops and tutorials
- Hilton International Americas deploying SunSystems HPM system across all 27 hotels
- Amerimar completes multi-property installation of Aptech's Profitvue for three hotels
HotelTraining.com is developing a range of Web-based workshops and tutorials, and is looking for hospitality industry training content providers to develop partnerships to convert existing on-site training materials into a complementary, support training option. (www.HotelTraining.com)
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Hilton International Americas is deploying Systems Union's SunSystems Hospitality Performance Management (HPM) analytics system across all 27 of its hotels in the Americas. HPM is intended to automate Hilton's budgeting processes and improve its ability to access relevant business data. (www.hilton.com, www.sunsystems.com)
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Amerimar Enterprises has completed a multi-property installation of Aptech's Profitvue application service provider (ASP) back office accounting solution for its three hotels in Philadelphia. (www.amerimar.com, www.aptech-inc.com)
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INVENTORY/PURCHASING
- InfoGenesis developing an interface between Revelation POS and Adaco's ADACOeclipse
- Gaylord Texan, Wynn Las Vegas order Agilysys' Materials Management System
- Sheraton Resorts Phoenix Seagaia goes live with Moreton Bay Technology's SCM
InfoGenesis is developing an interface between its Revelation POS and Adaco's ADACOeclipse inventory/purchasing system to pass product mix and sales information between the two applications. Planned benefits include more accurate menu cost analysis, online menu modeling for new menus, profitability analysis of existing menu items, and outlet theoreticals including daily item spot-checks, banquet, event, and production planning to aid event ordering processes. (www.adacoservices.com, www.infogenesis.com)
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The 1,511-room Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center has ordered the Agilysys (formerly Inter-American Data) Materials Management System (MMS), Document Management System (DMS) and Lodging Management System (LMS). The hotel opened in April.
Wynn Las Vegas has selected Agilysys' Materials Management System; the property is scheduled to open in April 2005.
(www.gaylordhotels.com, www.wynnlasvegas.com, www.agilysys.com)
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Sheraton Resorts Phoenix Seagaia in Japan has gone live with Moreton Bay Technology's Web-based SCM (Supply Chain Management) system. The resort includes 4 golf courses, 5 hotels and spas, world class tennis facilities, outdoor activities, forest, gardens and the world's largest indoor beach. (www.seagaia.co.jp, www.mbtcheck.com)
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ENGINEERING
- Mintek adds Management Alerts to WinTrack PM Management Portal
Mintek Mobile Data Solutions has added Management Alerts to its WinTrack PM Management Portal. The new system proactively distributes critical engineering, maintenance and work information to managers and employees via e-mail or pager. (www.mintek.com)
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