Defining HTNG Membership Benefits

HTNG was formed in the early 2000s by a group of individuals concerned with how hotels were being affected by technology. More than a decade later, HTNG now has 400+ member-companies, including 4,500 individuals who represent five million hotel rooms worldwide.

Last year, HTNG expanded its efforts to include other hospitality verticals, such as assisted living, entertainment venues and cruise lines, which share similar technologies and solution sets as hotels.

HTNG continues to be run by and for the benefit of hospitality IT executives, with active support from technology providers and other industry participants. HTNG offers memberships for corporate hospitality (includes all employees of a company), individual hospitality, solution providers, startups, consultants and academia. Through collaboration between these members, HTNG is the association that develops new standards, nurtures emerging technologies and defines best practices for the hospitality industry.

Much of HTNG’s work is about laying the right technology foundation in order to build solutions to better serve the guest and improve hospitality operations. Collaboration is a large part of HTNG’s mission, and its output has proven that when hospitality professionals and vendors work together to achieve their goals, everyone benefits.

The Heart and Soul: HTNG Workgroups

HTNG workgroups are what differentiate HTNG from other associations. These groups solve industry challenges and influence the direction of hospitality technology. The output results in best practices, white papers, self-assessments and other building blocks.

“Prior to joining HTNG, I was engaged with standards building in other industries,” said John Bell, founder of Ajontech LLC. “These groups demonstrated the value of [industry] standards to me. I recognized the value of the work that HTNG was doing in the hotel industry and that the work would have a positive impact on the industry, my company and my job.”

In 2017, HTNG identified the greatest challenges and opportunities within the business of IT in hospitality: Quality of the Guest Experience, Staff Recruiting and Engagement, Adopting Brand Standards, Modernizing Infrastructure, Security, Operational Excellence. These pillars were established to align HTNG workgroups to higher strategic concepts.

Must-Attend Global Events

HTNG has four annual conferences held in the Middle East, North America, Asia-Pacific and Europe. HTNG events are open to all hospitality professionals, with HTNG membership being required to attend as a consultant or a technology provider. 

In a recent HTNG survey, a member shared, “These events are not trade shows and you don’t need to push too hard to meet the right people. Vendors should take the time to talk to other
vendors as potential collaborators instead of
absolute competitors.”

The organization brings in subject experts to speak on cutting-edge industry topics for the audience. HTNG events offer sponsorship opportunities for companies to increase their brand visibility but are not required to attend.

Support from Top Industry Experts

A large benefit of HTNG membership is the support one can gain from other industry professionals. Members can contact one another through their HTNG profile and are provided other networking platforms both in workgroup meetings and face-to-face at HTNG events.

HTNG is led by its Board of Governors, who consist of CIO-level hospitality executives responsible for technology in over 2.5 million hotel rooms and world-leading hospitality venues. HTNG’s Vendor Advisory Council consists of the most senior hospitality leaders from a wide range of technology suppliers. They provide guidance, recommendations and technical assistance to the board and act as a liaison for the rest of the vendor community.

“I like to say that HTNG is my lifeline to the industry,” said Dayna Kully, co-founder, 5thGenWireless. “There aren’t a lot of opportunities to work closely and have access to the key contacts in a particular vertical. With HTNG, they are all in one place. HTNG allows me to stay in tune with the technology issues faced by the industry at large and be part of the development of solutions to these problems.”