News Briefs

Marriott International, Inc. and MGM Resorts International announced an exclusive long-term strategic licensing agreement and the creation of MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy, which will launch in October 2023, and encompass 17 of MGM’s unrivaled resorts, representing more than 40,000 rooms in Las Vegas and other cities across the U.S.

Beginning in October, several MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy resorts will be available for booking on Marriott’s robust digital platforms, including Marriott.com and the Marriott Bonvoy mobile app, with all properties expected to be available by the end of the year. These resorts will continue to be available on MGM Resorts’ channels, including MGMRewards.com and the MGM Resorts mobile app.

“This historic, long-term agreement brings together two of the most trusted and iconic brands in hospitality and entertainment,” said Bill Hornbuckle, President and Chief Executive Officer, MGM Resorts. “We’ve seen first-hand the strong demand from Marriott International customers through our existing relationship at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, and this new agreement will enable us to further optimize our overall profitability. We’re thrilled to now scale the relationship and offer Marriott Bonvoy members greater distribution access to our award-winning resorts – as well as exclusive event and entertainment opportunities - in Las Vegas and across the U.S.”

"We are excited to make MGM Resorts’ incredible properties available on Marriott channels, allowing our members to enjoy Marriott Bonvoy benefits when they stay at MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy resorts,” said Anthony Capuano, President and Chief Executive Officer, Marriott International. “We look forward to increasing our global rooms distribution by 2.4 percent as we grow our presence on the Las Vegas Strip and in other compelling destinations across the U.S.”

The agreement between MGM Resorts and Marriott will also benefit members of both companies’ loyalty programs. Members of MGM Rewards, MGM Resorts’ acclaimed loyalty platform with more than 40 million members globally, will be eligible to link accounts with Marriott Bonvoy and receive select member benefits. Members of Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott’s award-winning loyalty platform with over 180 million members globally, will be able to earn and redeem points for stays at all MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy properties.

Familiar Brands on a New Stage

Of the 17 MGM resorts that will join MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy, four properties will also be affiliated with existing Marriott collection brands: Bellagio Resort & Casino will join The Luxury Collection, ARIA Resort & Casino will join Autograph Collection, Park MGM will become part of Tribute Portfolio, and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas will continue its affiliation with Autograph Collection.

Eight MGM resorts in Las Vegas will join MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy: Vdara Hotel & Spa, MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, NoMad Las Vegas, The Signature at MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, New York-New York Hotel & Casino, Luxor Hotel and Casino, and Excalibur Hotel & Casino.

Five MGM Resorts in other U.S. locations will also join MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy: Borgata (Atlantic City, New Jersey), Beau Rivage (Biloxi, Mississippi), MGM Grand Detroit (Michigan), MGM National Harbor (Maryland), and MGM Springfield (Massachusetts).

Marriott and MGM Give Loyalty Members Access to a New and Inspiring Level of Experiences

Travelers visit Las Vegas for everything from food and wine to sports, music, gaming, and more. Marriott Bonvoy and MGM Rewards will unlock significant benefits and experiences for members of both programs. Marriott Bonvoy members will enjoy benefits at MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy resorts and MGM Rewards members will receive certain benefits at Marriott Bonvoy’s global portfolio of more than 8,500 properties, while members of both programs will also be able to exchange MGM Rewards points for Marriott Bonvoy points and vice versa. Marriott Bonvoy Moments, the program providing members access to unparalleled experiences that fuel personal passions, will be enhanced by MGM’s unmatched culinary, entertainment and sports offerings. More information about linking loyalty accounts, new experiences and other loyalty program benefits will be provided to members of both programs in the coming months.

BetMGM and Marriott Bonvoy Further Enhance Member Benefits

Marriott International has also entered into a loyalty marketing agreement with BetMGM, MGM Resorts International’s online gaming and sports betting joint venture, for Marriott Bonvoy to become BetMGM’s exclusive hospitality loyalty program partner in the U.S. and Canada. Under this agreement, Marriott and BetMGM will collaborate to provide Marriott Bonvoy members opportunities to earn Marriott Bonvoy points on certain BetMGM transactions, and participate in exclusive games, experiences, and offers on the BetMGM platform. In addition, BetMGM Rewards members will have the opportunity to exchange BetMGM Rewards points into Marriott Bonvoy points. More information about the collaboration will be available this fall.

Adam Greenblatt, BetMGM, Chief Executive Officer said, “We couldn’t be more excited to be able to offer Marriott Bonvoy Members and our players another suite of incredible perks only found on BetMGM. Our new agreement with Marriott International will create a truly robust rewards program that connects our players and Marriott guests to the full BetMGM omnichannel experience.”

For more information, please visit https://www.marriott.com/marriott-brands/mgm-collection.mi or https://www.mgmresorts.com/marriott

Shiji, a global hospitality technology innovator, has partnered with IPORT, an award-winning manufacturer known for enhancing the usability of iPads and iPhones, to introduce an all-in-one software solution for hotel restaurants. This collaboration will provide hoteliers with a seamless combination of a tablet and payment device to maximize their F&B operations.

The integrated iOS and payment device solution simplifies guest service for hotel restaurant servers, providing them with an effortless tool to cater to their guests' needs. As a certified Apple partner, Shiji and IPORT guarantee exceptional performance and reliability. Hoteliers can choose from multiple device options, including iPad Pro, iPad Mini, and iPhone, ensuring flexibility and compatibility with their operations.

“IPORT products are built around modularity and flexibility that empower our hospitality customers to do more with the iOS platform. We are thrilled to partner with a leading iPad and iPhone cloud PMS and POS platform provider like Shiji,” said Chris Lawson, Head of Partnerships, IPORT. “We look forward to innovating with Shiji in disrupting legacy, monolithic providers who have limited the industry from harnessing the power of iOS and mobility. The future is bright, and the possibilities are endless with IPORT, iOS, and Shiji.”

"The partnership with IPORT is a significant milestone for Shiji in our commitment to provide innovative technology solutions for the hospitality industry," said Ryan King, Senior Vice President of Shiji in the Americas. "By combining our expertise with IPORT’s hardware solutions, we empower hoteliers to streamline restaurant operations and deliver exceptional guest experiences. This collaboration represents another step forward in our dedication to driving success in the Americas, and globally."

The tablet and payment device solution seamlessly integrates with multiple payment gateways, allowing hoteliers to choose the system that best suits their needs. By simplifying the payment process, it reduces operational complexities, minimizes errors, and saves valuable time and resources for hoteliers.

Steak n Shake will offer PopID Check In and PopPay on its self-ordering kiosks in select locations in the Orlando market, with plans to expand to more than 300 corporate locations. PopID Check In is an opt-in service that enables consumers to scan their face to automatically sign into their loyalty reward account and see their past orders, making the ordering process as convenient as possible. When a guest checks in with PopID, they also have the option to use PopPay to automatically complete their payment.

• 57% of respondents say enabling new payment options is a  top business driver impacting POS upgrade decisions, according to HT’s2 2023 POS Software Trends Report.

“Our partnership with PopID is a key part of our effort to provide guests with a fast and seamless ordering experience," said Keith Correia, Chief Information Officer. "When using PopID Check In, a guest does not need to use their phone or take out their wallet as part of the ordering process. They will automatically be checked in for loyalty rewards, and they can choose to make an automated payment with PopPay. A guest can even see their past orders and quickly reorder their favorite menu items. Ordering at Steak n Shake has never been easier or more convenient.”

In addition to enhancing the guest experience and improving order throughput, PopPay helps to reduce fraud and offers lower payment processing fees.

Paytronix announced that industry veteran and current Paytronix Board member Jeff Hindman has been appointed company Chief Executive Officer, and that founder and current CEO Andrew Robbins will assume the new role of Executive Chairman. These moves will help position Paytronix to accelerate its growth and expand the footprint of its digital guest engagement platform to help customers around the world excel as the industry evolves.

Hindman’s appointment is part of the company’s long-term vision to position Paytronix for the future. Over the past few years, the company has continued to add senior talent, including Chief Customer Officer Andrea Mulligan, Chief Revenue Officer Charles Gray, and Chief Marketing Officer Pamela Robertson. 

• Paytronix Partners with Voicify to Bring Voice-Based Ordering to Restaurants

Hindman joined the Paytronix Board of Directors in 2022. He is an expert in go-to-market strategy and has led such efforts at several companies, including at NCR, where he headed the hosted solutions team. In his role as Chief Revenue Officer at Snap One, Hindman was a vital part of the team that led the company to a successful initial public offering. He also has deep expertise guiding technology companies in building channel partnerships that open new markets.

In his role as executive chairman, Robbins will continue to play an important role in the future of the company, as he will be intensely involved with the Paytronix executive team. He’ll remain active within the organization, focusing his vast experience on strategic initiatives, customer and partner relationships, and product strategy.

Duetto, the hospitality industry’s #1 Revenue Management Software (RMS), has released its latest look at the global hotel market, reporting positive signals in all metrics through to year-end.

Globally, Duetto data shows that room nights for this year are up 14%, ADR is up 9%, and rooms revenue is up 19% versus STLY.

For North America, all segments are enjoying a 6% uptick in room nights for 2023, a 3% gain on ADR, and an 11% lift in room revenue for this year compared with 2022 figures.

Focusing on Q4 2023, Duetto data shows a promising year-end for hoteliers.

Globally, room nights for Q4 2023 are up 20%, ADR is up 14%, and room revenue is up 23% versus STLY. For North American properties, Q4 2023 is trending up 6% on room nights, up 5% on ADR, and up 17% on room revenue versus STLY.

“These figures show us that business levels continue to normalize, as booking patterns and demand levels fall back in line with, or in some cases exceed, 2019 figures. This continued growth is a testament to the resilience of the global hotel industry, which has consistently looked for new opportunities and better ways to do business in recent years,” said Chris Crowley, Chief Revenue Officer, Duetto.

Business Returns for Convention Center Hotels

Convention Center hotels are seeing huge gains over STLY. Duetto data for Q4 2023 shows a 240% increase in room nights and a 283% growth in room revenue for properties in North America.

In North America, the Extended Stay model is also performing well, with Q4 2023 showing a 19% increase in room nights booked and an 8% increase in ADR, compared to the same time last year (STLY).

Full Service hotels in North America are showing a 14% increase in room nights for Q4 and a 3% increase in ADR versus STLY.

Splunk Inc., a cybersecurity and observability leader, announced Carnival Corporation & plc, the world's largest cruise company, is using Splunk software to help provide a secure and seamless customer experience to 300,000+ guests and crew every day worldwide. A collection of floating cities, Carnival Corporation's fleet relies on its systems running securely to offer the best guest experience possible and it requires visibility into all systems to ensure around-the-clock maritime operations and safety, where Splunk plays a critical role. 

"Our mission is to deliver unforgettable happiness to our guests by providing extraordinary cruise vacations and having a resilient system security posture is the foundation that allows us to do that," said Devon Bryon, Global CIO, Carnival Corporation. "Serving millions of guests each year sailing aboard 90+ ships, we work hand in hand with teams across our nine world-class brands to ensure our guests, crew and business are safe and protected. Splunk’s platform offers us the scale and flexibility to protect our company from ever-changing threats." 

Carnival Corporation teams worldwide use Splunk products to get real-time visibility across all applications, services, and security infrastructure. As a result, the company’s IT security teams can gauge the severity of system security issues, see all alerts in one place and reduce mean time to respond (MTTR) substantially by as much as 98% to mere hours in some cases. Carnival Corporation must be confident that its environment is secure because then it can focus on its primary function, ensuring the guests have a memorable cruise vacation experience. 

“As the largest global cruise company, Carnival Corporation's nine cruise line brands operate 24 hours a day, all around the world and they require a technology partner that can help them be secure in a world where access to data becomes more and more desired,” said Toni Pavlovich, Chief Customer Officer, Splunk. “As the threat landscape continues to evolve, it is more important than ever that companies have a cybersecurity strategy that enables them to remain resilient and performant, and Carnival Corporation is doing just that.” 

The company’s largest brand, Carnival Cruise Line, uses Splunk products to ensure its guest experience is seamless and secure. The digital experience begins when prospective guests first access Carnival.com to book their cruise. It continues as they leverage the Carnival HubApp to complete online check-in, book shore excursions and restaurant reservations, formally check-out, and more. Leveraging Splunk products, Carnival Cruise Line can quickly spot unexpected glitches on the website or the HubApp then move immediately to triage and resolve the issue before it affects the guest experience. 

Carnival Corporation and Carnival Cruise Line are participating in the keynote at Splunk’s 14th annual user conference, .conf23, featuring key insights and learnings from Michelle Garcia, Director, Information Security and Compliance, Carnival Cruise Line; Alex Tabares, Senior Director, Threat Intelligence, Carnival Corporation & plc; and Ruel Waite, Senior Manager, Site Reliability Engineering, Carnival Cruise Line. To learn more about how Splunk is helping build a safer and more resilient digital world with our leading security and observability solutions, please visit https://www.splunk.com/.