AUGUST 3 - 24, 2004
TOP O' THE NEWS
- In-Stat/MDR report looks at resurgence of hotel high-speed Internet access
- Annual CIO 100 Awards recognize three hospitality companies for exceptional IT agility
A new report from high-tech market research firm In-Stat/MDR confirms the resurgence of hotel high-speed Internet access. After an initial surge of enthusiasm and the near-collapse of the market, hotels, guests and providers have all embraced the technology with startling speed. It's now seen as a "must-have" amenity for guestrooms at all levels of the market, and the total number of properties with HSIA is estimated to grow from 5,207 in 2003 to 26,828 in 2008.
The most significant trend has been the use of wireless connectivity, which has gone from being purely a public area and meeting room solution to much wider coverage across guestrooms. Mobility is surprisingly addictive, apparently, regardless of lower connection speeds and higher security risks.
From the business front, of course, there's still no agreement on whether it should be free-to-guest, part of a communications upgrade package or just built in to the room rate; it all depends on your guest mix and local market demand. The report states that, in trying to determine how to make broadband pay, hotels are moving from a focus on the network and getting a solution in place to a broader perception about how that network can be used for other purposes. More information at www.instat.com/catalog/pcatalogue.asp?id=70.
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This year's CIO 100 Awards focused on organizations demonstrating outstanding IT agility, and included three hospitality companies:
CKE Restaurants (Carpinteria, CA), for developing a new POS system in-house, saving over $1 million in vendor costs and reducing annual operating costs by 38 percent.
Harrah's Entertainment (Las Vegas, NV), which brought a casino online two days before normal utilities were available after fires knocked out telecommunications in southern California, avoiding $10 million in lost revenue.
Marriott International (Washington, D.C.), for its upgraded reservation system guaranteeing the best available room rate regardless of booking channel, and a Corporate CRM system integrated with each hotel's property management system to ensure personalized service.
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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
- Richard Moore, Ted Horner join HTNG's organization; Mac Smith named an Honorary Fellow
- TravelCLICK announces seven new hires to iHotelier team
- Robert Benton hired as VP of Business Development, Revenue Management Systems, for OPTIMS America
- Peter Tay joins Optims Asia Pte Ltd. as General Manager/Vice President, Sales & Marketing
Richard Moore and Ted Horner have joined the Hotel Technology-Next Generation (HTNG) initiative in advisory capacities. Professor Moore, widely recognized for establishing information technology as an integral component of the Cornell Hotel School's curriculum, joins HTNG in the newly created role of Honorary Fellow. Mr. Horner, Australia's leading hospitality technology consultant, was one of the original founders of the HTNG and will join HTNG as an Executive Advisor. Both men are winners of the HFTP Technology Hall of Fame Award.
Mac Smith, another founder of HTNG, has retired from his Executive Advisor role due to other commitments and has been named an Honorary Fellow. Mr. Smith was formerly Vice President of Information Services for Hilton International.
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Chris Heller has joined TravelCLICK as Vice President and Product Manager - Electronic Distribution Products, focusing on expansion of the iHotelier product line and its integration with other TravelCLICK products and services. Mr. Heller has an extensive background in hospitality and leisure technology development. Marie Ainsworth and Eileen DeLisle have also joined Product Management, and bring over 25 years of experience to Mr. Heller's team.
John Hach, Vice President and Product Manager - e-Marketing Products, is taking on responsibility for TravelCLICK's website design, search engine optimization and search marketing business. He brings 20 years of travel industry experience, having held executive positions with Cendant and Hertz in sales and marketing.
Sally Ramos, Kyle Griffin, and Jason Mier have joined TravelCLICK's customer support team in Houston. Ms. Ramos, a GDS distribution expert, was formerly with Starwood Hotels and Resorts.
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Robert Benton has been hired as Vice President of Business Development, Revenue Management Systems, for OPTIMS America Inc. Mr. Benton brings over 20 years of experience in hospitality sales, marketing and technology; he formerly provided strategic business development and consulting for ORBITZ, had spent 10 years with Pegasus Solutions as Vice President of Business Development Utell & Sterling Hotels, and had earlier held Sales Management positions with Encore Systems.
Peter Tay has joined Optims Asia Pte Ltd. as General Manager/Vice President, Sales & Marketing, overseeing the Asia Pacific region. Mr. Tay has over twenty years' experience in the hospitality & service industry's sales, marketing and management.
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PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
- InterContinental now has over 500 North American hotels on OPERA or OPERAXpress
- Austrian "ecological" hotel Das Gogers opens with Hogatex' Front Office PMS
- Stevens Holtze Corp orders RDP's PMS for two additional Magnolia Hotels
- Morongo Casino Resort & Spa orders Agilysys' LMS
- Turning Stone Casino Resort orders Agilysys' Document Management System (DMS)
- Barrick Gaming selects LMS for four recently acquired Las Vegas properties
- Boardwalk Beach Resort and Convention Center order Visual One's PMS suite
- Q Center facility in St. Charles, IL, adds Visual One's PMS to existing Sales & Catering
- Visual One Users Conference to be held at Pinehurst Resort
- Peabody Hotel Group completes first implementation of HIS' epitome Enterprise and epitome PMS
InterContinental Hotels passed a significant systems upgrade milestone with over 500 of its North American hotels now having installed MICROS OPERA or OPERAXpress applications. Over 750 IHG Hotels worldwide now use these systems, including 29 in Latin America, 122 in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, and 110 in Asia Pacific. OPERA and OPERAXpress are both integrated with IHG's HIRO revenue management system and Holidex central reservations system. Several hotels have added additional modules such as Sales and Catering. IHG will beta test the MICROS OPERA kiosk module at the new Hotel Indigo opening in Atlanta in the fall of 2004. (www.ichotelsgroup.com, www.micros.com )
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Austrian "ecological" hotel Das Gogers opened this last May using Hogatex' Front Office PMS, InfoGenesis revelation POS and the Reservation Assistant spa & sport application. The 40-room property uses geothermal heat and solar equipment as energy sources, and includes grass roofs to help with temperature control. (www.hogatex.com)
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Stevens Holtze Corp has ordered RDP's PMS for two additional Magnolia Hotels, in Dallas and Houston. The Denver Magnolia Hotel has used Resort Data Processing software for some years. (www.resortdata.com)
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The 310-room Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, due to open in Cabazon, CA in December 2004, has ordered Agilysys' Lodging Management System (LMS). The Resort is owned and operated by the Morongo Band of Mission Indians.
Turning Stone Casino Resort in Verona, NY, owned and operated by the Oneida Indian Nation, has ordered Agilysys' Document Management System (DMS) to archive records and streamline operations. The system, which features electronic registration and signature capture, helps ensure a property's compliance with the USA Patriot Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
Barrick Gaming Corporation has selected Agilysys' Lodging Management System (LMS) to streamline operations at the four Las Vegas properties it recently acquired - Plaza Hotel Casino, Las Vegas Club Hotel Casino, Western Hotel Casino and Gold Spike Hotel Casino.
(www.morongocasinoresort.com, www.turning-stone.com, www.barrickgamingcorp.com, www.agilysys.com)
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The 900-room Boardwalk Beach Resort and Convention Center in Panama City, Florida, has ordered Visual One's property management, restaurant point-of-sale, sales & catering and condominium accounting software. Several enhancements will developed for the property, including the ability for condominium owners to view their unit's occupancy/availability via a special access code on Boardwalk Beach's website.
The Q Center, formerly an Arthur Anderson facility with has 1,041 guest rooms and 112 meeting rooms in St. Charles, IL, will add Visual One's PMS software to its existing Visual One Sales & Catering system, installed in 1998.
Visual One Systems Corp will this year hold its annual Users Conference at the Pinehurst Resort, September 14-17, 2004.
(www.royal-american.net/hospitality, www.qcenter.com, www.visualonesystems.com)
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The Peabody Hotel Group (PHG) has completed the first installation of Hotel Information Systems' (HIS') epitome Enterprise Solutions, centralizing rate, availability and guest information. PHG's implementation included Central Reservation Management, Central Rate and Availability Management, Distribution Channel Management, Central Guest Management and Web Reservation Management, in one Internet-native application. Peabody Hotels has also installed HIS' epitome PMS. (www.peabodyhotelgroup.com, www.hotelinfosys.com)
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RESERVATIONS
- InterContinental certifies Travelocity and Travelocity Business, drops Expedia, Hotels.com
- CNG Travel Group buys online reservations network PlacesToStay
- Wyndham to list properties with Expedia and Hotels.com
- Hilton International signs with Pegasus for commission processing for 400 properties
- Travel Management Alliance contracts with Pegasus for access to discounted rates at independent hotels
- Hard Rock Hotels in Bali and Pattaya contract with Pelican System
- Sterling Valley Systems releases hosted InntopiaCRS for destination call centers
- Lodging Interactive partners with Optims' Magellan Enterprise Reservation Services
- Cendant TDS subsidiary Si Hai Tong Jie signs joint venture with China CYTS Tours Holding
- Six Hilton-branded hotels in New York City launch Web site tailored for PDAs
Making good on its new policy regarding third-party distribution sites, InterContinental Hotels Group has certified Travelocity and Travelocity Business for access to inventory from its 3,500+ hotels worldwide, and had discontinued its relationship with Expedia and Hotels.com. Under the new standard, IHG will only use third party distributors that do not engage in confusing and potentially unclear marketing practices, that respect IHG's trademarks, ensure reservations are guaranteed through an automated and common confirmation process, and clearly present fees to consumers. (www.ichotelsgroup.com)
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Irish hotel room distributor CNG Travel Group has bought online reservations network PlacesToStay, the fourth largest U.S. hotel directory, for $12.5 million in cash. The acquisition will increase CNG's access to accommodation by more than 50 percent to 24,000 hotels. (www.placestostay.com)
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Wyndham International has agreed to list its Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Summerfield Suites properties with Expedia and Hotels.com, expanding its existing relationship with Expedia's WWTE private-label service which is used to offer vacation packages for WyndhamVacations.com customers. (www.wyndham.com)
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Hilton International has contracted with Pegasus Solutions for hotel commission processing services for its 400 properties through 2006.
The Travel Management Alliance (TMA), a collection of nine independently owned travel agencies along the eastern coast of the US, has contracted with Pegasus Solutions for access to its discounted rates at independent hotels across the world.
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Hard Rock Hotels in Bali (Indonesia) and Pattaya (Thailand) have contracted with Pelican System for help with rates management and allotment distribution, extending the existing agreement for six other hotels managed by HPL Hotels & Resorts (Singapore). The implementation is scheduled to go live in mid-September. (www.hplhotels.com, www.pelicansystem.com)
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Sterling Valley Systems has released InntopiaCRS, a hosted central reservations system integrated with the Inntopia Reservation System and its Internet booking engine and designed for destination call centers. Inventory sold through InntopiaCRS can also be sold through several online and offline channels, including distribution to all major GDS and ADS systems. (www.inntopia.com)
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Lodging Interactive has signed a partnership agreement with Magellan Enterprise Reservation Services (Magellan ERS), a central reservation system offered by Optims, allowing Lodging Interactive to offer ASP-based reservation services combined with Magellan's Dynamic Packaging capabilities. Magellan also provides GDS connectivity and a seamless connection to Pegasus Solutions for onward distribution to connected Internet booking sites. (www.lodginginteractive.com)
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Beijing-based Cendant Travel Distribution Services (TDS) subsidiary Si Hai Tong Jie Reservation Service Co., Ltd ("SHTJ"), has signed a joint venture agreement with China CYTS Tours Holding Co., Ltd (CYTS), one of the top three travel agencies in China. Cendant TDS will contribute the assets of its subsidiary, a hotel consolidator and online booking engine which it acquired in June 2004. SHTJ's technology allows users to complete a booking in either English or Chinese, while viewing room rates in the applicable currency; the company has a complete operating staff in China including call center, sales and marketing and hotel contracting. CYTS was originally formed by the state in 1980 and went public in 1997, and contributes a network of nearly 350 nationwide stores and affiliates, plus the ability to include air content, package tour fulfillment capabilities and critical operating licenses throughout China. (www.etravelchina.com, www.shtj.com.cn)
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Six Hilton-branded hotels in New York City have launched a Web site to make finding hotels in the Big Apple easier for travelers using a PDA (personal digital assistant) for research. The participating hotels are the Hilton New York, Hilton Times Square, Millenium Hilton, Doubletree Guest Suites Times Square - New York City, Embassy Suites Hotel New York City, and The Waldorf=Astoria. The PDA-compliant website is a condensed version of the conventional Internet website; it also allows travelers to use their PDA to research dining options or view images of the hotel guestroom before they book their reservation. (www.hiltonfamilynewyork.com)
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MARKETING / MANAGEMENT
- E&A Trends releases MAPS II, its updated Automated Marketing Plan System for hotels
- returnity offers targeted, customizable eMail messages, data consolidation and analysis
- Metamend launches SEO and web site promotion service for hospitality industry
- Pan Pacific signs multiyear agreement with Lanyon for Content Control Center (3C)
E&A Trends has released MAPS II, the second version of its Automated Marketing Plan System for hotels. MAPS II assists in setting objectives and reviews the key aspects of the sales & marketing process, and includes Food & Beverage and Catering modules as well as the traditional Room Modules. (www.ea-trends.com)
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returnity, a joint venture of LMG Data Mining and Make A Difference Marketing + Business Consulting, offers a series of targeted, customizable eMail messages - reservation confirmation, pre-arrival information, and departure note - using data pulled through interfaces with a hotel's Property Management System. Additional services include an Online Guest Satisfaction Survey, data mining and analysis, and direct marketing campaign development and execution. returnity can also merge and manage guest data from multiple Property Management Systems, allowing for branded marketing messages and consolidated analysis and reporting. (www.returnity.biz)
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Metamend has launched an Internet-hosted search engine optimization (SEO) and web site promotion service for the hospitality industry. (www.metamend.com)
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Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts has signed a multiyear agreement with Lanyon for its Content Control Center (3C) to help with Corporate and Consortia RFP management. The Web-based RFP service speeds the RFP process by joining relevant data, and processes together with management of hotel rates and content, in one view. 3C also supports the loading of negotiated rates from RFP contracts, using Lanyon's RatePublisher, to the GDSs and the hotel's CRS. Additional features in 3C to be released in late 2004 include enhanced management of hotel descriptions within the GDSs and enhanced management of hotel descriptive content to Internet channels. (www.panpacific.com, www.panpacific.com)
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REVENUE MANAGEMENT
- Sansora International adds IDeaS to CRM Alliance Program
- Park Plaza Hotels starts four pilot installations of Optims' RMS
Sansora International has added IDeaS to its CRM Alliance Program, a selection of products complementary to Sansora's targeted marketing services. (www.ideas.com, www.sansora.com)
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Park Plaza Hotels has started four pilot installations of Optims' RMS, two in London and two in the Netherlands, including the Victoria Hotel Amsterdam. (www.parkplaza.com, www.artotels.com, www.pphe.com, www.optims.com)
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SALES & CATERING, MEETING PLANNING
- Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links implements Delphi Select v9.1.2 and MarketVision
The Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links in Dublin has implemented Newmarket's Delphi Select Edition v9.1.2 Sales & Catering software and MarketVision CRM module. The hotel includes 99 bedrooms, five meeting rooms, a banqueting suite, and an 18-hole golf course. (www.portmarnock.com, www.newmarketinc.com)
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F&B/POINT OF SALE
- xpient Solutions acquires assets of Progressive Software
- Titan Cruise Lines orders InfoGenesis POS for Ocean Jewel of St. Petersburg cruise ship
- Desert Diamond Casino selects InfoGenesis for three properties
- Pizza Hut (UK) installing MICROS RES 3000 and mymicros.net at all owned locations in UK
Newly formed xpient Solutions, LLC, headquartered in Charlotte, NC, has acquired the assets of Progressive Software, Holding, Inc. and Progressive Software, Inc., including Progressive's foodservice Point of Sale, Back Office, and Enterprise Management technology and over 13,000 installations. Christopher Sebes, CEO of xpient, was formerly Progressive's CEO.
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Titan Cruise Lines has ordered InfoGenesis' Revelation POS system to manage all food and beverage transactions onboard its Ocean Jewel of St. Petersburg entertainment cruise ship, which is moored in international waters. The system includes 20 IBM SurePOS 500 touch screen terminals, and interfaces to Aristocrat's Oasis Casino Management System for player tracking and Berg Company for liquor dispensing and surveillance.
Desert Diamond Casino, owned and managed by the Tohono O'odham Nation in southern Arizona, has selected InfoGenesis' Revelation to replace its existing POS solution at three properties.
(www.oceanjewel.com, www.desertdiamond.com, www.infogenesis.com)
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Pizza Hut (UK) Ltd. is installing MICROS RES 3000 and mymicros.net at all of its owned locations in the United Kingdom, following successful trials earlier this year. Pizza Hut (UK) currently has almost 600 outlets, including 380 company-owned dine-in restaurants, 120 company-owned home delivery outlets and almost 100 franchise-owned stores. (www.pizzahut.co.uk, www.micros.com)
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GUEST SERVICES
- Red Roof Inns goes with T-Mobile for wireless HSIA in all public areas and guestrooms
- Best Western Saddleback Inn, Oklahoma City, implements free HSIA from Netsys in all rooms
- Windmill Inns & Suites implements free wireless HSAI from Matrix Networks at six sites
- Wayport selects PrinterOn for Web-based printing at all Wayport-enabled locations
- Orchard Hotel in San Francisco implement wireless HSIA from Wi-Fi Guys
- Marriott rolls out free HSIA at more than 400 Fairfield Inn hotels
Accor's Red Roof Inns have contracted with T-Mobile for HotSpot wireless broadband service in common areas and guestrooms in all locations. (www.redroof.com)
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The Best Western Saddleback Inn of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma has implemented free high-speed Internet service in all of its 220 guest rooms, using Netsys VDSL based networking equipment over the property's existing phone lines. (www.bestwestern.com, www.netsys-direct.com)
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Windmill Inns & Suites has implemented free wireless, high-speed Internet access from Matrix Networks, Portland, OR at all six of its properties (Roseburg, Ashland, and Medford, Ore., and Surprise/Sun City, Chandler, and Tucson, Ariz.). (www.windmillinns.com)
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Wayport has selected PrinterOn Corp's Guest Printing Service for Web-based printing at Wayport-enabled locations under a multi-year marketing and affiliate sales agreement. (www.printeron.net, www.wayport.net)
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The Orchard Hotel in San Francisco has implemented high-speed wireless Internet access from Wi-Fi Guys LLC. Guests obtain a password from the hotel's front desk to log on.
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Marriott International has rolled out free high-speed internet access at more than 400 Fairfield Inn hotels in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Marriott now offers high-speed Internet access at more than 2,200 properties worldwide, and expects to complete installation at all of its U.S. hotels by the end of 2004. (www.marriott.com)
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BACK OFFICE
- Strand Development selects Aptech's Execuvue, Profitvue and Webvue for all properties
Strand Development Company has selected Aptech's Execuvue Business Intelligence, Profitvue back office, and Webvue Internet accounting systems for its ten properties, which include Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, and Wingate Inn hotels. (www.stranddevelopment.com, www.aptech-inc.com)
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INVENTORY/PURCHASING
- The Breakers in Palm Beach, FL selects Agilysys' Materials Management System
- ADACO contracts with Navisite for hardware hosting and communications infrastructure for ADACOeclipse
The 560-room Breakers in Palm Beach, FL has selected Agilysys' Materials Management System (MMS) for inventory and purchasing management. (www.thebreakers.com, www.agilysys.com)
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ADACO Services has contracted with Navisite for hardware hosting and the communications infrastructure for its hosted ADACOeclipse procurement and materials management software. (www.adacoservices.com)
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ENGINEERING
- M-Tech wins two Microsoft Partner Program customer service Awards for HotSOS
M-Tech's HotSOS (Hotel Service Optimization System) has received two Microsoft Partner Program Awards: the Microsoft Award for Customer Experience and the Microsoft Award for Winning Customers. The awards were instituted this year to recognize exceptional customer service. (www.m-tech.com)
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