The New iPhone OS 4.0 – now iOS – is here!!!

The multi-tasking world is coming with the new toy of Apple launched by Steve Jobs in San Francisco on 7th June, 2010.

Customers will have more battery, larger screen, more background services and aps.

" The average user spends over 30 minutes using apps on their phone. That’s a billion ad opportunities per day! “This is a pretty serious opportunity, and it’s an incredible demographic."

Just think about it, does your business already have the new generation of Smartphone ad and aps?

Sources: http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2010/06/07/iphone-os-4-0-now-ios-is-here/

Google's Open Video Standard Just Started Another Battle With Apple :: Hotel News Resource

Google's Open Video Standard Just Started Another Battle With Apple :: Hotel News Resource

A Dozen Technology Trends Shaping Business and IT in 2010

What will be the new technologies of 2010?

Consultants in Technology have classified them in 2 categories:

Emerging Enablers

• Information Management Finally Goes Enterprise

• CIO Operational Excellence

• Cyber-security

• Best-of-Breed Enterprise Applications

• Wireless and Mobility

• Virtualization

Disruptive Deployments

• Information Automation

• Value-driven Application Management Services

• User Engagement

• Services Thinking

• Asset Intelligence

• Cloud Revolution

One question is rising: Does your business have at least one of those?

Sources: http://www.htrends.com/article45971.html

Digital Developments in Hosptality - Last Episode -
http://ping.fm/3ZVHd

Applications suggestions for hotel websites

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Applications suggestions for hotel websites

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New York : les hôtels tournent à plein régime

http://www.lhotellerie-restauration.fr/journal/hotellerie/2010-04/New-York-les-hotels-tournent-a-plein-regime.htm

Digital Developments in Hospitality THINK TANK PARIS on April, Friday 23th : Ddih Slideshare

Think tank

How does the restaurant chain Subway use the new technologies?
http://ping.fm/BOEb2

MKG Hospitality: Coup d’arrêt brutal dans un ciel qui s’éclaircissait

http://ping.fm/Ag4BT

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts - Join Our Social Networks

I choose this article because is related to our last class topic: SMO!!!

The Search Media Optimization game has increased a little more since 2010.

One of the last famous luxury brand Four Seasons has just added on its website the Facebook and Twitter application. Thanks to the Facebook tool you can find news, pictures, youtube video, special offers with a link between all the followers.

On Twitter you will find this message: RT @FSLanai: Hot Lava Shell Massage oceanside, doesn't that sound lovely? http://bit.ly/8or7J0

Does the SMO will be the powerful tool of the SM?

Sources: http://www.journaldespalaces.com/index.php?title=Four-Seasons-Hotels-and-Resorts-Join-Our-Social-Networks&id_actu=28656&home=actu_detail.php

Crowdsourcing : Creation of a concept

The class objective today is to find a business concept using the crowdsourcing.

We think about a website specialized on the hospitality industry.
The concept is based on the grade given by the employees for the work condition & atmosphere in their hotel. This will help the new applicant to have a better idea on the company they want to work for.

The second interest is that the website can be a tool for the Human resource department of each company to improve the employee satisfaction.

3 Charts On Email Marketing That May Surprise.

I choose this article because everybody things that social network
is a revolutionary marketing key.
A professional are Twittering, Facebooking but it is there really efficient or even relevant for their business?
After analyzing the different charts you become aware that the social network does not replace email. People who are very active in social media tend to check their email far more often. Just think about an efficient emailing campaign.

TWITTER POST

Another interesting article that I post thanks to Twitter.

The Twittering game can start!!!

http://bit.ly/cWnU2A

PING FM

Check out this website which will allows you to access

to all your networks in one click!

What social media will look like in 2012
http://ping.fm/qS9Vu

Search Marketing Definitions

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Search Marketing Definitions

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Hotels : which markets know the higest growth?

I choose this report because those figures can help us in our job research and help me on my Hotel project in Africa.

According to the site www.catererglobal.com, 35% of HRD (Human Resources Director) hoteliers in Asia consider that their region is the one in which the market grows faster, and therefore in which the employment opportunities are more numerous.

Asia (35%) followed by the Middle East (32%), Far East (25%), Africa (23%) and India (22%).

Next are Indonesia (19%), the Eastern Europe (18%), and South America (14%).

The Persian Gulf (11%) and the Western Europe (10%) completed the top 10.

Sources: March newsletter of the "Journal de Hôtellerie-Restauration"

Innovative 'Green' Disposable Food Service Products :: Restaurant News Resource

What are the key drivers for the UK online travel industry in 2010? Video :: Travel Industry Wire

What are the key drivers for the UK online travel industry in 2010? Video :: Travel Industry Wire

Hotels, which recruits in 2010?

I choose this article because I will be on the job market in few months.

I think that I'm not the only-one to ask this fatal question : Where I'm gonna find a job? Which hotels recruit in 2010?

After reading an online article of "l'hôtellerie-restauration" I find some answers:

Despite a relatively unstable economic environment, the most major groups will still hire new employees and partners.

What are the 3 largest announced recruiters for the beginning of this year?

• Mövenpick 2 500 hires announced. Concentrated Middle East and Asia, they affect a wide range jobs

• Rotana, over 2 000 hires announced. The group expected to open 4 new hotels in early 2010

• Accor, 2 000 hires planned. With 8 openings hotels in 2010

Even if the economic crisis is not helpful, businesses still hire people. Hope & trust on the market are the keys of our research.

sources: the february newsletter of "l'hôtellerie-restauration"

A MODERN HOTEL WEBSITE FOR 2010 - 0 Hotel Downtown Los Angeles-

• designed for the user with emphasis on supplying the information they need

--> informations are clearly defined and visible. only pictures animations.

• easy to navigate with no clutter

--> no clutter and well-structured of the website. Easy to access

• dynamic with continually updated content

--> updated content are visible by newletters sign up

• created on a content management system that allows hotel to edit content themselves

-->The hotel can edit website content by himself

• links to Twitter and Facebook (or place Twitter stream directly on site)

--> Hotel has Twitter, facebook,

• a blog to supply useful content to users and help SEO efforts

--> the hotel has no blog but has visible SEO efforts (in general the hotel has rank 1st and 2nd by brand name and localization)

• videos of hotel and city – videos should be authentic and not glitzy ads

--> no video on the hotel website but links lead to facebook with youtube

• information should be organized by type of traveler and answer specific questions

-->yes (ex : corporate, group, individuals...)

• calls-to-action should lead user through the sales funnel

-->yes

• offer an incentive for users to supply their e-mail (i.e. a downloadable city guide)

--> yes

• give users a reason to re-visit your site (i.e. ski conditions if your hotel is in the mountains)

-->yes, because website is interactive

• maintain a database of your clients and learn their preferences. This allows for more targeted email campaigns, and a better guest experience at your hotel

--> no

• communicate with your guest before, during, and after their stay through email or Twitter

--> yes

• request reviews from your guests and post them on your website

-->no

• make sure your website is optimized for the search engines

-->yes

• install analytics which will allow you to track user behaviour

-->no

AVVIO BOOKING ENGINE

Services

Connect

- Increase your Google PPC

- Generated revenue by 85 %

- Reducing spend by 57 %

Convert

- 25 % of increase in booking values for 5* clients

Booking Specialist

BOOKING ENGINE MODULE

New thinking for online booking engines with upselling, powerful dynamic packaging, group functionality, and rich media support for rooms and offers. The software makes insightful revenue and yield recommendations to you, while manipulating and packaging data online to suit your specific requirements - putting you in control. We are a certified Micros partner and support for 2 way interfaces to all other leading PMS platforms also available.

ONLINE VOUCHER MODULE

Online vouchers in flexi-value or fixed (package-type) pricing, support for customisable instant PDF vouchers as well as sales terminal for traditional posted vouchers.

CORPORATE MODULE

Corporate bookings with unlimited corporate accounts and rate combinations. Secure corporate access allows for credit accounts, corporate rewards/loyalty and extensive reporting.

CORPORATE REWARDS AND LOYALTY PROGRAM FUNCTIONALITY

Reward functionality allowing corporate and loyal guests to redeem vouchers against points earned per stay. Transparency exists allowing you to see at a glance what points each guest has accumulated and also a full history in relation to redemption of vouchers.

WEDDING AND CONFERENCE MODULE

Large group booking functionality for wedding guests and conference attendees, to book an agreed rate directly through your website, in a cost efficient and professional way. Full reporting transparency provided on all bookings made.

ADVANCED VOUCHER SALES AND REDEMPTION SYSTEM FOR LARGE GROUPS

Offering full management of the voucher sales for your entire group, including payment, supply and redemption.

RESERVATIONS CALL CENTRE

Customised booking application for central reservations, enabling hotel chains and independent call centre offices to manage all reservations from one system.

LOST BUSINESS ANALYSIS

Client Account Managers who do detailed analysis of lost business figures from your Daily Revenue Report to ensure that you are not closed out for sale online, based on missed opportunities reported

WEBSITE & REVENUE ANALYTICS

Facility to track lookers to bookers and revenue by source. Find out how many queries are made for special offers, for best available rate, fully tracking website visitors into confirmed bookings. With revenue analytics, see the specifics including most popular room and most popular offer. Available historically, you can identify business sources on a monthly basis to maximise revenue.

YIELD AND REVENUE MANAGEMENT

Client Account Managers who focus on yield and revenue management, covering everything from reviewing inventory ( room types/descriptions), Best Available Rate, clear rate increments, rates loaded for 365 days out and rate parity on all channels.

ESTRATEGY CONSULTING

With the experience and know-how to look at all areas of your online business, we focus on driving business directly to your website, developing the most effective strategy for you. In doing so, we cover distribution, rate strategy, online marketing and design, to name a few.

WEBSITE DESIGN SERVICES

With an experienced team of creative and technical talent, we take time to understand our client's identity and how best to represent it online. Using innovative ideas and the latest in web technologies, we bring unique and effective websites to the fore...... Read More >>

ON-GOING REFRESHER TRAINING

Converting is our science, but we are happy to share some of our secrets with you. How to manage your inventory, change your room types and room descriptions, set length of stays, set up special offers & vouchers, report on packages sold, room nights & bed nights sold, vouchers sold, adding contacts to your database - we go through it all. And then we do it again.

ONLINE MARKETING

Attracting more visitors to your website can be easy: attracting the visitors you want, can take some work. By identifying the right combination of online marketing techniques for your hotel website, on which to base your Internet strategy, including Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Pay Per Click advertising, Avvio can significantly enhance your hotel's online visibility, optimising your site across search engines, driving conversion rates and doing so on an easily demonstrated cost/benefit basis. ...Read More >>

AFFILIATE DISTRIBUTION SERVICES

Being tagged as the next big thing online and the future of direct distribution, you can showcase your packages and offer on any number of third party/partner websites who, in turn, drive customers to your website to book directly with you. With rewards made to partners on the sole basis of business delivered, connectivity options are unlimited.

GDS & IDS CONNECTIVITY

Manage all of your online channels from one location, saving time, effort and ensuring rate parity.

sources: http://www.avvio.com/connect.html

Hotel Direct Booking

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Hotel Direct Booking

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America's dirtiest hotels as rated by travelers.

The scary Top 10 of the dirtiest US hotels is arrived.
Those ratings have been done by the tripadvisor traveler.
And the Winner is Californian: “The Heritage Marina Hotel”!!!
Unfortunately is not the only one:

2. Days Inn Eureka/Six Flags, Eureka, Missouri
3. Tropicana Resort Hotel, Virginia Beach, Virginia
4. Super 8 Virginia Beach/At the Ocean, Virginia Beach, Virginia
5. Quality Inn, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
6. New York Inn, New York City, New York
7. Parisian Hotel & Suites, Miami Beach, Florida
8. Capistrano Seaside Inn, Capistrano Beach, California
9. Desert Lodge, Palm Springs, California
10. Continental Oceanfront Hotel South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida

This award emphasizes the importance and the impact that these reviews can have on a hotel.
We learn that after each dirtiest hotel’s price some hoteliers react. NewYork clean up whereas California and Florida made the list.

Comment’s example:

"This hotel is like in a horrible horror movie! The bed was a nightmare. It smelled like urine and had strange spots."

"If Hell had a hotel it would be something like this. The worst, nastiest hotel I have ever stayed in, in my life. Dirty towels, dirty room. Rude manager. Run from this place as fast as you can!"

"Mold smell and bugs! Unavailable staff. Dirty sheets and bath tub was gross. DO NOT STAY HERE!"

Here two questions are rising! How some hoteliers forget the basis of their job and can run a business? The second is: What is the impact level of the online review?

Sources: http://www.4hoteliers.com/4hots_nshw.php?mwi=6899
Tuesday, 26th January 2010 by trip Advisor

2010 the year of living hospitality

2010 is the year of living hospitality? This article is really relevant because HOSPITALITY is the key. Unfortunately some professional has forgotten the basis of this business. Even if you have the best website don’t forget the experience that your customers must have in your place!

That is to say” Being hospitable and making your guests feel welcome”. With this simple concept, you will have always more impact.

When customers feel welcome, comfortable and part of your family you will have success in your hospitality concept.

If you are fully involved with your staff with this simple roots, 2010 should be a good year.

Source : www.4hoteliers.com/4hots_nshw.php?mwi=6839

Published on Saturday, 16th January 2010 by Ron Yudd

Travel Aggregators Websites

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Travel Aggregators Websites

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On Twitter in the Workplace, It’s Power to the Connectors

We can not deny! Twitter is one of the main hurricanes of this year 2010. More and more companies are using it. What will be the main key success of a career?

If you want to have a contemporary career success the main skill is be THE CONNECTOR. That is to say have a strong ability of creating relationships with the other and connecting people between groups. The other main skill is your capacity to evolve in a self organizing network.
Nowadays the power is given to the human network whereas before it was more by formal hierarchies. Horizontal relationships with share and distributed leadership are erasing the classical vertical power.
You can learn and develop those skills by sharing with the other and with your willingness to continue to making relationships, passing on information and communicate among a community. Don’t forget the simple is the rule: “Power goes to connector”.
Indeed being efficient with formal assignments is no longer sufficient, you have to be the best connector to win and have success!

Sources: Harvard Business Review, Published on Monday November 16, 2009
http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/kanter/2009/11/power-to-the-connectors.html

10 Ways to Cut Your Travel Costs This Year

This article caught my attention because “cut the travel costs” will be the main goal of all the companies and users of the hospitality & travel industry in 2010.

Here we can differentiate 10 tools which will allow the professionals and travellers to decrease their costs:

1. Sign Up for a Twitter Account

Companies can market their brand & users can find exclusive deals.

2. Find the Cheapest Dates to Fly

Users can forecast with the software ITASoftware.com an entire month with the lower rates available.

3. Consider Nearby Airports

User scan choose smaller airport and save from $80 to $100.

4. Go Against the Grain

Avoid the « mass » time travel (holidays, spring break) and go on Farecompare.com to save travel fees.

5. Track Price Even After Buying

Thanks to the website Yapta.com you can track (mailing alert) after buying your flight ticket if the airline sell it at a lower price and then call them to claim the credit.

6. Take the Bus

Choose the express buses companies like Cheap express buses with names like BoltBus, Megabus and Washington Deluxe instead cab. You will save money and enjoy bus services (Wi-fi, legroom…).

7. Roll the Dice

Discounts throughout the websites Priceline.com, Hotwire.com & Lastminutetravel.com. Users pay before to know the name of the hotel. Now airlines & car rental doing the same thing!

8. Go Rental

Think to the rental of the appartment instead of simple hotel room. You can find good deals (Rentvillas.com; Homeaway.com, Zonder.com ; Wimco.com).

9. Make Yourself at Home

Save money with connection between travelers and locals who offering a place to bed down (AirBnB.com). Or find your couch worldwide on CouchSurfing.com!

10.Study the Fine Print

Be careful with your airline’s choice and find help with the website Kayak.com which will compare all the different airlines combination to save money.

Of curse this article is more for the users than for the professionals. However, professionals can use this article to know how the consumer thinks and how they can be more visible.

Another questions is rising : Do you will twittering in 2010 as a professional or a user?

Sources:

The New York Time / Author : MICHELLE HIGGINS, Published: January 10, 2010

http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/travel/10pracsave.html?em

Virtual Tourist vs. WAYN

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Virtual Tourist vs. WAYN

http://docs.google.com/present/view?id=0ATHvozMt2OJ1ZHA1c21jd18yMGZwM3FubmZr&hl=en

Matthieu Laboye
Darmarajan Chinan
Guilleux Marina