Connectivity among hospitality systems was enhanced recently with the release of new specifications from the working groups of the nonprofit industry association, Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG).  The specifications create new standard interfaces for connecting hotel guest kiosks to property management systems, as well as for simplifying connectivity of payment systems and enabling a new model for more accurate and seamless hotel distribution.

Libra OnDemand, the first on-demand CRM solution built specifically for the worldwide hospitality industry on the Force.com platform, today announced the addition of Denihan Hospitality Group’s The Surrey hotel to its growing list of worldwide clients. Built in 1926 as a residence hotel, the original Surrey was home to many of New York’s most eccentric celebrities over the years, including John F. Kennedy, Betty Davis, and Claudette Colbert.

IDeaS Revenue Optimization, the leading provider of pricing, forecasting and optimization solutions and services, announced today that Marco Polo's three hotel properties in Canton Road Hong Kong have successfully adopted IDeaS industry-leading V5i Revenue Management Solution.

FastBooking, one of the foremost providers of advanced technology solutions and e-marketing services for the hospitality industry, announces that its iPhone application has been named the best mobile application in the mobile industry by the Web Marketing Association in their Internet Advertising Competition.

How well do you know your customer? In a hotel’s attempt to offer a high level of guest service, I’m often asked when checking in, “Have you stayed with us before?” When I reply “Yes,” it is often followed by “Welcome back” or “It is good to see you again,” together with “As you know then the restaurant opens at 6:00 AM” or some other item they feel is important to tell me. Shouldn’t they already know I’ve stayed with them before?

VingCard Elsafe, the leading hospitality security provider and part of the ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Group, recently completed the installation of its Signature by VingCard electronic door locks and SENTINEL II by Elsafe in-room safes at the Bogota Marriott Hotel in Bogota, Colombia. Located in one of the business hubs of the city, the property is only minutes from the El Dorado International Airport. Featuring 239 guestrooms, 8,611 square feet of meeting space, an italian restaurant, lounge, sushi bar, indoor pool and exercise room, the hotel offers the ultimate luxuries to its guests. As the geographical, political, cultural and financial center of the country, Bogota draws travelers from around the world, creating a sense of urgency for the hotel to provide the ultimate in security and efficiency to meet the needs of their guests.

IDeaS Revenue Optimization, the leading provider of pricing, forecasting and optimization solutions and services, has today announced a strengthened partnership with Orient-Express (www.orient-express.com), the world-renowned hotel and travel company.

Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading provider of innovative information technology and hospitality software solutions, has announced that Miraval Arizona, the top-rated destination spa resort located in Tucson, has selected the Visual One™ property management system and the InfoGenesis™ POS system, both by Agilysys, to streamline operations and enhance guest service. The 118-room property will also use the Guest eMarketing (GeM) solution by Agilysys to generate direct revenue opportunities with guests.

An often repeated business mantra is that it is less expensive to keep existing customers returning than it is to find new ones. In the hotel industry, this mantra translates into guest loyalty and reward programs, room upgrades, discounts and special perks for frequent guests. There are additional benefits for the guest, as well, including personal recognition and an overall feeling of satisfaction with their choice of accommodations. For hotel and management companies looking to leverage their current customer base for future revenues, finding a technology that will efficiently collect and segment customer data to drive new business can be a daunting task. Data may seem to be falling out of the sky; good thing there is cloud computing to help.

This Forbe's Four Star and AAA Four Diamond 150-room luxury hotel in Birmingham, a Detroit suburb, replaced a hard-wired locking system to an innovative wireless solution from SAFLOK. These new stand-alone SAFLOK locks are powered by a single AA battery pack, with no wires running to the locks. The system's most significant advantages are customer convenience and the latest real-time, two-way communication to and from the locks.