www.yourhotel.com. It’s your website. Everyone has one. But what is its purpose? Does your organization use it primarily as a marketing tool or as a revenue channel? Many organizations have spent thousands (including some spending tens of thousands) on developing an effective website to communicate to their prospective and current customers. The website, while incorporating the hotel’s branding and identity, typically lists the amenities, room information, dining room menus, location, directions, etc. Most websites, and surprisingly not all, even have the capability to book a future room reservation, meeting or even a dining reservation.

The working groups of Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG) have again improved the connectivity, security, and interactivity of hospitality systems with the release of HTNG's semiannual 2009B certification specifications. Three new technical specifications provide standardized interfaces that connect Property Management Systems (PMSs) and other hotel systems to guest-room devices such as door locks, thermostats, televisions, and telephones; allow hotels to deliver rich descriptive content to distribution channels and websites; and support improved security for credit card processing. In addition to these new specifications, enhancements were released to the existing specification for reservation processing.

VingCard, a leading hospitality security provider and part of the ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Group, completed the installation of its Signature RFID contactless electronic door locks with NFC cell phone compatibility at Grand Millennium Sukhumvit in Bangkok, Thailand. As the commercial center of Thailand, Bangkok serves as the major business hub in Southeast Asia. With the security provisions offered by VingCard’s Signature RFID, Grand Millennium Sukhumvit is geared to meet the sophisticated needs and requirements of business travellers.

WestCord Hotels, a collection of 12 unique properties located throughout the Netherlands, recently took the bold step of launching their own hotel brand instead of continuing to rely on a third party management company for their branding, distribution and marketing services. For distribution technology and marketing expertise WestCord Hotels turned to SynXis, part of Sabre Hospitality Solutions, to provide a complete hotel distribution, Internet marketing and channel management solution. The chain will switch all of their properties to SynXis' RedX Distribution Management System for distribution across multiple channels.

Following the refurbishment and redevelopment of several of its hotels, Focus Hotels has announced its plans to implement protel Multi-Property Edition PMS (Property Management System) from Xn Hotel Systems to ensure co-ordination is significantly enhanced between each property.

JAL Hotels, the largest global hotel group in Japan, has switched its NK chain code and its 58 hotels to the SynXis RedX Distribution Management System for seamless connectivity to the Global Distribution Systems (GDS), Internet Distribution Systems (IDS), and bookings coming from their brand website (www.jalhotels.com) using the Guest Connect booking engine in multiple languages including English, Japanese, Chinese and Korean. JAL Hotels will also use SynXis voice services in more than a dozen languages including Arabic, to address their rapid expansion plans in the Middle East.

Participants attending the annual European conference of the nonprofit trade association Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG) will learn from top industry names about changes in hospitality technology. HTNG conferences help members capitalize on such advances to improve their operations.

MTech, the leading provider of guest response and workflow automation solutions for the hotel industry, has partnered with runtriz™, a Los Angeles, Calif.-based global concierge network, to speed response-time for guest requests, increase customer satisfaction and boost sales for hoteliers using the most popular mobile device technologies available today.

CLEVELAND | Agilysys, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGYS), a leading provider of innovative information technology and hospitality software solutions, announced today that Treasure Island in Las Vegas has selected a comprehensive software suite from Agilysys, including solutions for property management, inventory and procurement, guest marketing and document management, to streamline operations at the 2,885-room property. Treasure Island is also expanding its use of InfoGenesis™ POS by Agilysys.

VingCard, a leading hospitality security provider and part of the ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Group, completed the installation of its Signature RFID contactless electronic door locks with NFC cell phone compatibility at the Cape Sienna Resort in Phuket, Thailand. As one of Thailand’s most international provinces, Phuket requires a hotel to cater to the luxury market.