by | January 27, 2011 · 7:16 pm

Hospitality Industry Technology Issues: Hotel Managers Must Recognize The Importance Of Video For Marketing, Information Sharing, Communication And Education

“… innovation is going to be led by video and many companies are not prepared to capitalize on its power.  Everywhere around you people have smart phones and they do something with it that has an element of video. That is very different than we did a couple of years ago.”

(As) video becomes integrated in many different business models and sooner or later all companies, regardless of industry, will need to find creative ways to incorporate video into marketing, sharing of information, communication, and learning. Those companies that are unable to cater to different audiences via various media will suffer.

“It’s not just the phone industry or the media industry. It is going to be incorporated into every business model you find around the globe.”

Verwaayen says the U.S. and Europe have embraced different content formats and that Asia is catching on. ” The world is going to be a place where applications are going to cater to the taste of consumers and from that perspective consumers have all the power.”

For more:  http://blogs.forbes.com/miasaini/2011/01/26/davos-explosion-of-video-is-next-technological-innovation/

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by | January 26, 2011 · 4:38 pm

Hotel Industry Technology: Hotel Owners Will Raise "Guest Satisfaction" With Increased Availability Of Mobile Device "Host-Based" Applications On Hotel Facilities And Events

“…a conference application, which put all the materials you typically get at a conference on the device, but also a directory of all the other people at the conference, with photos. We could push video and photos to the device during the meeting and update things real time as the conference was happening.”

Clearly the consumers, the guests we serve, are increasingly on the road and increasingly connecting to us through mobile devices, and there’s a tremendous pace of innovation on these devices. We don’t talk about smart phones now as much as we talk about super phones.

We’ve already launched applications for the iPhone across our brand, but we’re also building out applications for other mobile devices–a whole host of location-based services. You could imagine a time when a guest wants to find things around the hotel, or even within the hotel they’re at—if they need to find a coffee shop or a clothing store because they have forgotten something for their trip.

We rolled out 2,500 iPads—the largest one-day rollout of the iPad ever. We included on those iPads a couple interesting applications—a conference application, which put all the materials you typically get at a conference on the device, but also a directory of all the other people at the conference, with photos. We could push video and photos to the device during the meeting and update things real time as the conference was happening.

The other application we piloted was the beginning of a virtual concierge idea. It allows our guests to order room service from the device, find out more information about the hotel, see all the information that is typically in a booklet on the desk in the hotel room—with rich video and audio and linked right into the property management system at the hotel.

For more:  http://www.smartplanet.com/people/blog/pure-genius/hilton-cio-mobile-device-use-in-hotels-is-skyrocketing/5332/

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by | January 25, 2011 · 10:25 am

Hospitality Industry Green Issues: Hotel Group Achieves "LEED Volume Precertification" For Its "Green Engage" Program Making Hotels 15% To 20% More Energy Efficient

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms, today announces that its in-house sustainability system Green Engage* has been awarded with a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) volume precertification established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). IHG has become the first hotel company to receive this award for an existing hotels programme, further cementing its place as an industry leader in the field of sustainability.

The USGBC’s LEED rating system is the preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Volume precertification is a preliminary step that provides a streamlined path to LEED certification for a large group of hotels based on a preapproved prototype and process.

  • In the US alone, an average hotel has in excess of $500,000 in energy expenses every year.
  • On average, energy is the second largest cost in hotels and our hotel owners want help to manage this.
  • Green Engage can deliver over $90,000 in annual energy savings by making hotels 15% to 20% more energy efficient.
  • Additionally, Green Engage helps owners respond to the growing interest from guests who are looking for sustainable hotels that manage their environmental footprint.

http://www.ihgplc.com/index.asp?PageID=116&Year=2011&NewsID=2568

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by | January 24, 2011 · 7:43 am

Hospitality Industry Payment Systems Risk: Process, Controls & Instrumentation (PCI) Compliance In America Must Address "More Secure Methods Of Payment Authorization"

“…more incentives (should be) put in place to encourage more secure methods of payment authorization. One example of this is the “chip and PIN” system in use outside of the United States. In this system, credit cards use a tiny PIN-activated microchip that protects payment information...”

“As it stands, virtually every Western and Eastern nation have migrated to this (system)…which countries haven’t? Iran and the U.S.”

Data security also is going to be a major focus at this year’s Hospitality Law Conference.

Right now, liability is on the merchants’ side of things but not on the payment systems, and that has to change, said Cannon, who is counsel to the Merchants Payment Coalition.

“Right now, all liability runs downhill and at the bottom is the merchants’ coalition and, partially, the hospitality industry,” he said.

The federal government is reviewing the issue of data security liability and could potentially come up with a new way of assigning liability by 21 July of this year.

“In terms of the regulatory process, this is the speed of light,” Cannon said.

For more:  http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Articles.aspx/4809/Hospitality-Law-event-to-examine-privacy-PR

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by | January 23, 2011 · 11:34 am

Hotel Industry Health Risks: Hotels Owners Must Act To Eliminate "Sick Building Syndrome" (SBS) Including "Inadequate Ventilation", Indoor And Outdoor "Chemical Contaninants" And Biological Contamination

“Sick Building Syndrome” (SBS) is defined as building occupants experiencing acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified.

  • Inadequate ventilation: ASHRAE recently revised its ventilation standard to provide a minimum of 15 cfm of outdoor air per person in non-smoking areas. ASHRAE is attempting to balance energy consumption with an adequate IAQ. If you have an existing hotel, an engineered study of ventilation will give you all of the information you need to make adjustments as needed.
  • Chemical contaminants: Research clearly shows that V.O.C.’s (volatile organic compounds) can cause chronic and acute health effects at even low concentrations, and many V.O.C.’s are known carcinogens. This is why LEED standards address V.O.C.’s as found in adhesives, carpeting, upholstery, manufactured wood products, copy machines, pesticides and cleaning agents. Your “green” advisor can assist with low or no V.O.C. options for your hotel. GreenSeal.org can provide all of the details you need.
  • Chemical contaminants from outdoor sources: This includes motor vehicle exhaust, plumbing vents and building exhausts (from kitchens or bathrooms, for example) and combustion products from a parking garage. Air intake vents must be carefully located to avoid these sources of contamination.
  • Biological contamination: These include bacteria, molds, pollen and viruses. Unfortunately, hoteliers are all too familiar with the history of hotel-borne Legionnaire’s Disease, and as such, must be vigilant in testing our cooling towers and indoor decorative fountains.

For more:  http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/154000320/4049708.search?query=hotel+pool+water+illness

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by | January 21, 2011 · 4:50 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Hotels Are Considered "Public Accomodations" And Must Provide "Auxiliary Aids And Services" To Visually-Impaired, Deaf And "Hard Of Hearing Guests" In Conference Facilities

“…public accommodations must ensure that no individual with a disability may be “treated differently than other individuals because of the absence of auxiliary aids and services.”

  • Included as examples of “auxiliary aids and services” are closed caption, rear-window captioning and open captioning for individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing.
  • With the advances in technology, it is argued that at least one form of captioning is now required in virtually all hotel rooms, meeting rooms, bars, restaurants, and other accommodations with televised services. 
  • Nearly all television sets built since 1993 with screens of 13 inches or more that are sold in the United States have closed captioning embedded in the television set. The closed captioning becomes visible when you use a special decoder, either as a separate box or built into the television set

If your hotel meeting and conference facilities appeal to a broad range of groups or organizations, which include disabled individuals (as nearly all do), are you providing auxiliary aids and services for visually impaired, deaf and hard of hearing guests? 

  • Have you implemented plans to protect yourself from this type of “new frontier” ADA litigation?
  • Have you had an “ADA audit” done by an expert team looking to protect your interests? 
  • Have you taken action to stay on top of the technology for hearing and sight impaired guests/conference attendees? 
  • Have you specifically investigated your hotel’s needs to provide auxiliary aids and services? 
  • Do you have written policies and procedures for providing auxiliary aids and services to guests/conference attendees? 
  • Do you have written policies and procedures for training staff on the need for and use of auxiliary aids and services for disabled guests/conference attendees? 
  • Do you have the necessary auxiliary aids and services on site? Are there aids and services available from sister properties if you run short? 
  • Do you have policies in place for testing auxiliary aids and services to be sure they are working and properly maintained? 
  • Do you have plans to investigate and purchase the latest in closed captioned technology?

    • For more:  http://hotellaw.jmbm.com/2011/01/hotel_ada_defense_conference_centers_and__group_hotels.html

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    by | January 20, 2011 · 9:02 am

    Hospitality Industry Technology: "Technology-Driven Hotels" That Protect Guest Data Privacy And Invest In Low-Tech Upgrades That Guests "Don't Necessarily Have At Home" Will Increase Approval Ratings With Online Booking Sites

    For more:  http://www.hospitalitynet.org/file/152004480.pdf

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    by | January 19, 2011 · 2:41 pm

    Hotel Industry "Green Issues": California Hotel Earns Top Environmental Designation Through "Recycling, Energy Efficiency And Conservation Management"

     Recently designated one of California’s top “green hotels” by the California Department of General Services, the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina has also been awarded the program’s “Leadership Level” status for its continued commitment to sustainability and conservation practices.

    “We are very proud to be leading the way in the hospitality industry to reduce waste, save energy and water and help conserve our beautiful state’s valuable resources,” said Alex Willow, Director of Sales at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay.  “Our hotel’s environmentally-friendly initiatives like the eco-friendly Blue Marble Spa and ‘Meet and Be Green’ program are just a few of the ways in which we continue to do whatever we can to help keep California green.”

    California’s Department of General Services Statewide Green Lodging Travel program encourages state and local government travelers to seek out and give preference to certified “green” hotels.  To achieve the status of “Leadership Level,” the highest level of the state’s green lodging program, hotels must meet all of the following seven criteria:

    • Waste minimization
    • Reuse/recycling
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Conservation and management
    • Waste management
    • Freshwater resource management
    • Hazardous materials management
    • Environmentally and socially sensitive purchasing policies

    Other ways in which the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay has demonstrated its commitment to being more kind to the environment include its Meet and Be Green program.  It requires meeting planners and attendees to “go green” during their meeting, such as sourcing products with 100 percent recycled content, finding local suppliers, and maximizing efforts to reduce waste to create a meeting experience that exceeds expectations and helps the environment at the same time.

    For more:  http://www.hotelinteractive.com/article.aspx?articleid=19395

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    by | January 18, 2011 · 8:44 am

    Hospitality Industry Fire Risks: Hotel And Motel Fires Can Be Mitigated By "Fire Safe" Training And Inspections That Insure Operational Smoke Alarms And Sprinkler Systems

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HkRb3f8-C8]

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    by | January 17, 2011 · 3:00 pm

    Hospitality Industry Technologies: Surveys Show Hotel Guests Will Want "Self-Service And Kiosk Check-In" Options

     “…A survey found 70 per cent of airline passengers want more self-service options through internet, kiosk and mobile phone applications…”

    “While online booking and check-in are nearing their full potential, there is now clear demand from the travelling public for self-service..”

    http://www.smh.com.au/travel/traveller-tips/hot-tickets-for-the-year-ahead-20110117-19tld.html

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