Let's face it, the OTAs are not getting any smaller. Online travel agent (OTA) bookings have steadily increased at the expense of hotels, taking advantage of a thriving digital travel market to strengthen their position and impose conditions in exchange for increased exposure - including 15% -25% commissions. The resulting rise in distribution costs and the pressure on those rates are challenging hotel owners and managers to maintain profit levels. Understandably, hotels prefer direct bookings.

Cendyn, the most integrated CRM provider in the hospitality industry, is proud to announce the international debut of the company's flagship enhanced loyalty solution, eLoyalty. Created specifically for hotels, it gives loyalty members an easy-to-use portal to view status, redeem rewards and manage profiles, while providing staff with centralized management across the loyalty ecosystem.

Volara, the first voice-based hotel guest engagement solution that turns the Amazon Echo and Alexa into a powerful hotel business tool, announced today its deployment in 12 hotels nationwide. The firm's hotel-grade software connects guests to hotel staff and services by automated voice.

In advance of HITEC 2017, HTNG opens registration for the industry's first API Registry. HTNG's API Registry Workgroup has created this registry to address the number of inefficiencies in the hospitality solution space, including the difficulty of finding potential technology partners whose products and/or services could add value to a hotelier's offerings. By making it easier for businesses to connect to technical partners via a registry, the workgroup aims to facilitate the first step in building connected solutions.

Global hospitality management software provider Xn protel Systems today announces the forthcoming launch at HITEC of xnPOS, its highly innovative and proven enterprise food and beverage POS system, into the North American market.

Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading global provider of next-generation hospitality software solutions and services, today announced that Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu in Koloa, Hawaii, has selected a suite of software solutions — including InfoGenesis® POS, InfoGenesis® Flex and rGuest® Pay — to streamline food and beverage operations and enhance guest service at the 306-unit luxury property.

Sceptre Hospitality Resources, SHR, a leading provider of advanced distribution technology and creator of the best-in-class central reservations system, Windsurfer® CRS, has partnered with global property management system (PMS) innovator, protel hotelsoftware, to bring hoteliers and their guests an enhanced booking experience by way of a unique predictive analytics data interface.

With more than 75 million members in the United States, the Pew Research Center has confirmed that the Millennial Generation, entering their 30's and creating families of their own, now outnumbers the Baby Boomer Generation. Millennials are no longer the traveler of the future, rather they are the largest current generation and are the traveler of today. Their preferences and affinities are beginning to shape all of travel and hospitality, including the luxury market.

ALICE - the hospitality industry's leading operations platform, which connects all the departments of your hotel for improved staff communication and task management - will be showcasing new products and features at this year's HITEC in Toronto, June 26-29, Booth 1245. You can schedule a meeting with our team here.

SALTO Systems, a leading manufacturer of electronic access control solutions, will showcase its latest innovations for hospitality — including the new Bluetooth Low Energy AElement Fusion reader — at the annual Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference (HITEC). HITEC will be held June 26-28 in Toronto.