JUNE 29 - JULY 13, 2004
TOP O' THE NEWS
- New guide to Technology Strategies for the Hospitality Industry
A new textbook entitled "Technology Strategies for the Hospitality Industry" has been published by Pearson Prentice Hall. Co-authored by Peter Nyheim and Francis McFadden (Drexel University) and Dan Connolly (University of Denver), it gives a good grounding not only in systems fundamentals and the principal hospitality industry applications, but also on using information technology for strategic operational advantages, on how the power of data analysis leads to better informed management, and on making strategic investments in technology. The appendices on using IT for intelligent marketing, revenue management and distribution channel management are especially worthwhile. The pace of technology has left the chapter and appendix on interface standards rather out of date, although they do give a good grounding on why inter-systems communications have been such a problem, but overall this is a very worthwhile addition to the available literature and is highly recommended.
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PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
- Ramesys developing interfaces between ImagInn, Entirety and Expedia.com, Hotels.com
- Mandarin Oriental implements HTNG interfaces between PMS, PPV and PBX in NY, DC
- ARAMARK chooses SMS|Host PMS for Lake Powell Resorts and Marinas
Ramesys is developing interfaces between its ImagInn and Entirety Property Management Systems (PMSs) and Expedia.com and Hotels.com. The interface will provide for real-time delivery of Expedia and Hotels.com hotel reservations directly into the PMSs, which will be able to upload detailed availability and rate information to Expedia and Hotels.com. (www.expedia.com, www.us.ramesys.com)
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Following the interoperability demonstrations by HTNG vendor members at HITEC, Mandarin Oriental has implemented real-world examples at its New York City and Washington DC properties, where the Springer Miller SMS|Host PMSs communicate with General Dynamics Interactive guestroom video systems and the Percipia-managed IP telephony systems. Guests are welcomed by name on the Intrigue television screen in the language of their choice, phone instructions are displayed in the same language, and voicemail and fax message notifications are displayed on the television. Guests can retrieve messages from the Percipia phone system, replaying voicemails through the Intrigue audio system and viewing faxes on the high-definition TVs. Guests who are members of a group can have a speed-dial listing of the other group members displayed on the telephone itself. (www.mandarinoriental.com, www.intrigueonline.com, www.percipia.com, www.springermiller.com)
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ARAMARK Parks and Resorts has chosen the SMS|Host PMS for the Lake Powell Resorts and Marinas in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, replacing the existing separate systems that run the property's front office, central reservations and activity management operations. (www.aramarkparks.com, www.springermiller.com)
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RESERVATIONS
- Groople launches Website for group travel research and booking
- Hotel Booking Solutions and Pelican Systems partner to provide automated distribution
- Pelican opens first US office, in Las Vegas
- JM Hoteles and Langham London implement iHotelier for Web bookings, GDS connectivity
- Cendant signs multi-year expansion of agreement with Gullivers Travel Associates (GTA)
- Best Western deploys Nexaweb to 4,000+ hotels for Web-based rate/reservations management
- protel hotelsoftware GmbH selected to provide housing CRS for XXVIII Olympics in Athens
Groople has launched its Website for group travel research and booking, enabling consumers to book group-discounted travel and accommodations for more than five rooms (often the limit for many Web site bookings) in a single online session. Currently showing listings for more than 56,000 hotels, including 7,000 that offer real-time group rates, Groople plans to add air, car, cruise, bus and rail later this year. An 80-seat call center helps to handle special requests and more complex needs, such as booking banquet facilities and registering for events. Imminent enhancements will allow travelers to search and price meeting space, food and beverage, audio visual equipment and other group related amenities. (www.groople.com)
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Hotel Booking Solutions and Pelican Systems have partnered to provide an automated distribution system, with HBS' hobooBox providing connectivity to property management systems, central reservations systems and onward distribution channels and Pelican's rate structure and room allocation allowing hotels to manage rates and allotment to increase yield.
Pelican System has opened its first office in the United States, in Las Vegas, Nevada to introduce its online reservation and distribution system to the American market.
(www.hotelbookingsolutions.com, www.pelicansystem.com)
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Spanish hotelier JM Hoteles has implemented TravelCLICK's iHotelier booking engine for Website reservations and GDS connectivity for all properties, which include Marina Palace Hotel in Santa Pola (Alicante), Puerto Rosario in Fuerteventura, Jardín de la Reina in Sevilla, and the Marina Apartments in Benidorm.
The 429-room Langham London has selected TravelCLICK's iHotelier booking engine for Web site connectivity and distribution management through its local Internet channels.
(www.langhamhotels.com, www.travelclick.net)
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Cendant Corp has signed a multi-year expansion of its agreement with Gullivers Travel Associates (GTA). Under the new accord, Cendant's Travel Distribution Services Division will distribute OctopusTravel.com's negotiated hotel inventory, tour packages and related travel services inventory across multiple Cendant channels, doubling Cendant's negotiated rate inventory. GTA will also distribute Cendant's 6,300+ Hotel Group properties through its proprietary booking systems. (www.gta-usa.com, www.cendant.com)
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Best Western has deployed Nexaweb software to more than 4,000 of its member hotels as part of its MemberWeb intranet, providing properties with a Web-based application to update room rates, plans, commissions and reservations. (www.nexaweb.com, www.bestwestern.com)
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protel hotelsoftware GmbH has been selected to provide a central reservation system (CRS) for the XXVIII Olympic and Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece, with its Greek partner Hospitality Integrated Technologies (HIT). The Olympic village will accommodate over 16,000 persons during the Games; journalists and guests will be accommodated in 230 different hotels (including the Hilton, Intercontinental, Grecotel, Savoy), eight media villages, other smaller Olympic villages and seven cruise liners (including the Queen Mary II) docked in the port of Piraeus. The Olympic Village and eight media villages will each have a protel SQL front office system connected to a central protel HQ system, which will also administer the availabilities of the hotels and cruise liners. (www.protel-net.com)
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MARKETING / MANAGEMENT
- Puerto Rico Convention Bureau implements UniFocus' MEETINGScope
- Open Hospitality completes development of Internet-based survey tool
- Sceptre expands alliance with Blizzard Internet Marketing
The Puerto Rico Convention Bureau has implemented UniFocus' MEETINGScope to obtain meeting planner feedback three ways. On-line surveys are conducted with meeting planners by an independent research organization when a contract is signed and after a meeting has been held, and meeting planners who selected another destination are surveyed to determine why and how Puerto Rico can book the business in the future. Results are posted immediately through an Internet site. (www.meetpuertorico.com, www.unifocus.com)
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Open Hospitality has completed development of an Internet-based survey tool, intended to cover Web based hotel comment cards, surveys of hotel preferred guest program members, corporate contacts and travel agents. The survey allows hotels to aggregate data from specific market segments for use in package development and promotional pieces. (www.openhospitality.com)
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Sceptre has expanded its alliance with Blizzard Internet Marketing to provide vertical online packaging, e-mail marketing, Web site design, hosting and promotional services at preferred rates for its clients. (www.blizzardinternet.com, www.esceptre.com)
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REVENUE MANAGEMENT
- CMS Hospitality selects IDeaS as Preferred Partner for revenue management in AP
Long-established Australian PMS vendor CMS Hospitality has selected IDeaS as its Preferred Partner for revenue management systems throughout the Asia Pacific region. (www.cmshosp.com.au, www.ideas.com)
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F&B/POINT OF SALE
- InterContinental rolling out E-Menu system to a further ten Holiday Inn properties
InterContinental Hotels is rolling out the "E-Menu" system from Ameranth Wireless' 21st Century Hotel to a further ten Holiday Inn properties by the end of July, following six months of pilot tests at its hotel at Duluth, GA. Based on Microsoft .NET technology and using Motion Computing's wireless tablet PCs, E-Menu allows guests to browse menu items, nutritional information and wine recommendations and, if desired, place orders directly into the kitchen. It can also provide full Internet service to diners, and is accessible for room service from guests' laptop computers over the hotel wireless network. (www.ichotelsgroup.com, www.ameranth.com, www.motioncomputing.com)
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GUEST SERVICES
- WestCoast launches Net4Guests free-to-frequent-guests wireless HSIA at all sites
- Hilton International contracts with BT and STSN for guestroom HSIA in UK and Ireland
- STSN passes 2,000-hotel milestone
- RoomLinX completes merger with communications equipment vendor Arc Communications
- Rosen Hotels & Resorts goes with NXTV for digital entertainment in all seven Orlando hotels
- NXTV passes 10,000-room milestone
- NXTV licenses NTT East in Japan, gains contract for Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi.
- Wyndham Anatole, Paris Las Vegas select Bartech automatic minibars
WestCoast Hospitality has launched its "Net4Guests" proprietary high-speed wireless Internet access (Wi-Fi) service, giving all its GuestAwards frequent traveler program guests free access in guestrooms and public areas of participating hotels, whether they are staying there or not. Program members log on using their member numbers and passwords. (www.westcoasthotels.com)
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Hilton International has contracted with BT and STSN to install high-speed Internet access in all guest rooms in 60 Hiltons across the UK and Ireland, complementing the roll-out of BT Openzone public area wireless high-speed Internet access 'Hotspots' and STSN's managed conference services in the UK & Ireland during 2003/2004. BT will manage the project and service installation, and STSN will provide all hardware and on-going support.
STSN announced The Lowry Hotel, a Rocco Forte Hotel in Manchester, U.K., as the 2,000th hotel to offer its high-speed Internet access.
(www.hilton.com, www.stsn.com)
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RoomLinX announced that it has completed its merger with communications equipment vendor Arc Communications; the combined entity will operate under the RoomLinX name. RoomLinX reported providing services to more than 14,000 rooms in more than 55 locations as of the end of March 2004. (www.roomlinx.com)
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Rosen Hotels & Resorts has contracted with NXTV for the digital entertainment system in all seven of its Orlando, Florida based hotels, bringing NXTV past the milestone of over 10,000 hotel rooms either installed or under contract for its IP-based interactive television system.
NXTV is also expanding internationally, announcing an exclusive licensing deal with NTT East in Japan and an initial installation at the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi.
(www.nxtv.com)
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The Wyndham Anatole Hotel in Dallas has selected Bartech automatic minibars for its atrium buildings, which contain nearly 900 guest rooms, and plans to include them in the redesign of its 700-room tower building, scheduled for completion in 2005.
The Paris Las Vegas resort has contracted with Bartech to install automatic minibars in all 2,619 guest rooms, along with a PDA-based refill application. Installation is planned for October 2004.
(www.wyndham.com, www.caesars.com/paris/lasvegas, www.bartech.com)
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COMMUNICATIONS
- XETA acquiring Bluejack Systems
XETA Technologies is acquiring Bluejack Systems, a privately held Seattle-based supplier of converged communications systems. The transaction is targeted to close on or about Aug. 2.
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SECURITY
- Hidden Eyes Guard Service announces Internet-based security monitoring services
The Hidden Eyes Guard Service announced its Internet-based security monitoring services, which use video conferencing, high-speed Internet access, video cameras, microphones, central monitoring stations and database management software for electronic guard tours, remote escort service, and access control. (www.gatepackages.com)
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