Hotels

Las Vegas has, for at least the past decade, been a center of innovation or the U.S. lodging industry. With the debut of CityCenter, a joint venture between MGM Mirage and Dubai World, opening late next year, the U.S. is setting a new benchmark for luxury-meets-technology in the lodging industry.

As more and more Americans embrace an environmentally conscience lifestyle, the question remains: "Does this trend really represent a market opportunity for the hotel and travel industry?" The answer is yes.

As the demand for locking solutions that offer a higher level of security and usability increase, vendors are responding with next-generation solutions that are both easy to use and aesthetically pleasing. Contactless RFID and NFC cell phone compatibility are the newest in locking offerings.

Pegasus and Worktopia partner to provide hotels with its UltraDirect platform for booking meeting space and group accommodations.

Travelers with a high readiness to use technology are also inclined to travel more often and pay a relatively high room rate. By learning more about your guests' preferences and habits, hoteliers will be able to understand how to effectively use technology to better serve patrons.

Wyndham Hotel Group is ushering in an era of innovation that focuses on next-gen guest room technologies, sustainability, and connectivity for its guests. In this exclusive interview, HT sits down with senior level executives to discuss the company's deliberate strategy for tying IT development to revenue goals, and the 1,000 page document that paved the way. Also go inside the Wyndham guest room for a look at some of the proprietary solutions that are already boosting guest satisfaction, and a preview of what's still to come.

Version 1.2 of PCI DSS, released just this month, includes several key areas that are important for hospitality operators to understand. Anti-virus software, data storage, and public-facing web applications are just some of the areas addressed.

The Premier Inn installs a new revenue management solution from Amadeus across 556 hotels. The new solution automatically monitors every booking made at a property and can predict reservation guest stays on any given day of the year.