News Briefs

Visionary, a global innovator in the AV-over-IP industry, and Aveo Systems, a pioneer of simplified control solutions for professional audiovisual systems, have partnered to introduce expanded control operations for Visionary’s PacketAV Matrix Series with Aveo Systems’ Mira Connect. The Mira Connect family of products, lauded for their simplicity and functionality, now integrate with Visionary's AV-over-IP products to enhance overall control and user experience.

The partnership aims to provide users with a seamless, intuitive and engaging experience when interacting with AV systems, addressing a significant pain point in the industry – the complexity of control system programming and user interfaces.

“We are pleased to partner with Aveo Systems to provide an enhanced user experience through plug-and-play configuration and device control,” said Scott Freshman, chief operating officer for Visionary. “This partnership aligns with our mission to make AV over IP technology accessible and simple to use. By combining our leading AV over IP solutions with Aveo’s innovative control systems, we can deliver an AV experience that is not just cutting-edge, but also incredibly user-friendly."

Craig Richardson, Ph.D., chief executive officer for Aveo Systems, added, “Our mission has always been to simplify AV control. We’re excited to be working with Visionary to make it easy for partners to set up control of PacketAV Matrix Series devices using Mira Connect. Visionary’s partners can now benefit from Mira Connect’s configuration-based control to efficiently set up control systems and take advantage of advanced features, such as remote management for AV/IT teams, multiple control interfaces, including directly on users’ devices, text alerts on equipment issues, and more.”

Together, the PacketAV Matrix Series and Mira Connect can be easily configured to create a user interface within minutes instead of days or weeks required by traditional control systems. Featuring a streamlined installation process, Mira Connect automatically discovers PacketAV Matrix Series devices and creates a simplified process to add multiple PacketAV endpoints to the control system in just minutes. Mira Portal, a cloud-based management platform, recognizes the PacketAV Matrix Series devices and enables system designers to create rooms and desired inputs on the encoders and associate decoders with displays to create an automatic user interface. 

 

This strategic alliance between Visionary and Aveo Systems underscores a mutual commitment to improving user experience in the AV industry. As companies and institutions increasingly rely on AV technology for communication and collaboration, the need for intuitive, high-quality systems becomes more critical than ever.

 

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.

Cendyn, a catalyst for digital transformation in the hospitality industry, is excited to announce the game-changing integration of its digital ads management platform with Google Performance Max for Travel Goals. This integration marks a pivotal moment for its customers, promising to reshape how they connect with their audiences and drive conversions across their digital channels.

As a longstanding Google Premier Partner, Cendyn has established itself as the first to offer this innovative integration for the industry. By empowering hoteliers to easily enhance their visibility across all Google advertising channels and inventory, this exciting integration can lead to a substantial upsurge in direct bookings and revenue.

By embracing Performance Max for Travel Goals, hotels can harness the power of Google’s cutting-edge machine learning and artificial intelligence to optimize visibility and engage with a highly qualified audience, ultimately leading to significantly improved conversion rates. 

“Google Performance Max for Travel Goals, integrated seamlessly with our digital ads management platform, is incredibly exciting for our customers. It puts the tools in their hands so they can reach more guests, drive more conversions, and manage their ads seamlessly on one platform,” said Michael Bennett, President at Cendyn.

“This is the first of many initiatives that will set new standards in reach, performance, and guest engagement for our customers across the globe, and we’re incredibly excited to offer it so soon after joining Cendyn,” said Quentin Lederer, VP eCommerce at Cendyn.

Following the recent acquisition of WIHP, hoteliers can anticipate a continued innovative approach to hotel digital marketing services at Cendyn. The Google Performance Max for Travel Goals integration sets an elevated standard for the future of hospitality technology, promising enhanced digital experiences for hotels and their guests alike.

365Villas, a vacation rental management software provider, has launched a raft of industry-first website features including a tool that gives property managers the opportunity to offer a full suite of ‘Flex-Stay’ options for the first time. 

Alongside a new full payment discount feature, cancellation indemnity and early bird discount offers, ‘Flex-Stay’ brings property manager’s in line with mainstream airlines and hotel websites and gives guests the choice to pay more in case they need to amend their booking.

365Villas’ additional functionality also gives property managers the option to apply a discount to bookings if guests pay the whole fee upfront rather than in installments; and the cancellation indemnity tool gives guests the choice of paying a premium in return for a refund in the event of cancellation. 

All new interface features are integrated within the 365Villas PMS and can be tailored by each property manager to suit their target market. Alongside the host of new features, 365Villas has introduced a number of new website themes and designs to help property managers effectively market and promote their portfolio whilst giving end-users the best booking experience possible.

Dave Payette, founder and CEO of 365Villas, said: “Increasingly consumers are looking for convenience and immediacy. These new features offer a smoother, more personalized experience that allows property managers to capitalize on the growing trend for direct bookings through independent websites.

“Our next-generation website themes and solutions bridge the gaps that have persisted for property managers when choosing between a high-cost, complex website and a more affordable, low-risk solution.”

Trip Affiliates Network (TA Network) has signed an agreement with Silver Palm Wellness Bangkok (SPW) to deliver real-time data on hotel room availability as well as dynamic and static rates to traditionally offline contractors. From travel agencies and wholesalers, to corporate travel intermediaries.

A trusted brand name in wellness and medical tourism, SPW provides a one-stop full-service wellness center that is committed to customer health, wellbeing and beauty. SPW is affiliated with CH9 Hospital and enjoys the full resources and expertise of the Chularat Hospital Group, one of the oldest and most prestigious private healthcare providers in Thailand.

With this new collaboration SPW will be able to use TA Network’s proprietary system to broaden its online distribution channels and efficiently increase direct bookings with its preferred agents, wholesalers and corporates.

SPW General Manager Nopphong Duangchan said, "We are thrilled to be a part of the TA Network ecosystem and to embrace their innovative hotel B2B direct booking solution. This partnership marks a significant milestone for us, as it empowers us to elevate our direct booking capabilities and connect with a wider audience. TA Network's cutting-edge technology and unwavering support has already proven to be invaluable as we collaborate to enhance our guest experience and expand our business. We eagerly anticipate a prosperous collaboration and are excited about the opportunities it presents.”

He added: “Our partnership with TA Network underscores our commitment to innovation and guest satisfaction, and we are eagerly anticipating a future marked by growth and success.”

The TA Network platform is designed to leverage on technology solutions adopted by hotels to facilitate their direct connectivity, automate their inventory management processes with their traditional offline contractors, which would otherwise require both parties to manually update their booking inventory & retrieve booking confirmations. This also eliminates overbooking/ underbooking issues associated with room allotments as well as potential human errors in manually maintaining hotel contracts.

Thomas Wong, Regional Director Partnerships and Growth , TA Network, said: “We are delighted to add SPW to our growing ecosystem of hotels and channel clients regionally seeking to increase their direct booking partnerships. Our hotel clients also benefit from our integrated suite of valued added services like e-voucher management and digital payment which further broaden their direct booking capabilities with their customers”,

TA Network currently supports over 300 hotels across 15 countries to increase their direct bookings with travel agents, wholesalers & corporates.

Tock, the all-in-one reservation and experiences platform for hospitality businesses, has a new mobile experience for iOS users. The redesigned app makes it easier for users to discover the best reservations and experiences through a streamlined search and navigation process, driving additional bookings for Tock's new and longtime customers.

Seamless navigation and an improved visual interface puts customers’ offerings front and center for users looking to find unique experiences.

• 78% of customers want to receive discounts from a restaurant’s or hotel's loyalty program, according to, according to HTs 12^th annual 2023 Customer Engagement Technology Study

Tock's redesigned iOS app puts discoverability front and center through location-based searching, optimizing results to ensure restaurants, wineries, and hospitality businesses are easy to book. Guests can refine their search results by cuisine preferences, party sizes, neighborhoods, and more. The new Explore tab boldly showcases various collections, such as "New & Notable" and "Outdoor Experiences," offering a dedicated page for users to discover new businesses and drive visibility around Tock's customers.

Users can easily make reservations with just a few taps thanks to the new map-focused design. It is easy to discover unique experiences and events.

Tock's integration with Reserve with Google is at the forefront of these updates, allowing users to book reservations directly from Google Search or Maps.

New features:

• New look and feel: Seamless navigation and an improved visual interface put customers' offerings front and center for users looking to find unique experiences for any occasion.
• Refined location-based search: Users can easily search nearby businesses based on party size, date, time, and cuisine preference.
• Enhanced exploration and discovery: Relevant curated collections will inspire users to discover and book new experiences that may be of interest to them.
• Seamless booking management: Businesses can turn guests into regulars with new features that allow users to easily manage upcoming reservations, rebook past ones, and personalize their guest profiles.
• Saving and sharing: Users can save a business to aggregated lists of favorites or share must-visit spots with friends.

 

Tock is a Squarespace company.