49 HILARIOUS NORWEGIAN IDIOMS AND SAYINGS THAT WILL MAKE YOU GIGGLE

This year, I decided I wanted to learn Norwegian. I’ve visited Norway twice before and fell in love with the unbelievable beauty of its fjords, such as Trolltunga, and learned all about the Vikings in Oslo.  With every language I learn, I love to learn its most popular idioms and expressions and slip them into my conversations.

Spotlight

Everbridge

Everbridge empowers enterprises and government organizations to anticipate, mitigate, respond to, and recover stronger from critical events. In today’s unpredictable world, resilient organizations minimize impact to people and operations, absorb stress, and return to productivity faster when deploying critical event management (CEM) technology. Everbridge digitizes organizational resilience by combining intelligent automation with the industry’s most comprehensive risk data to Keep People Safe and Organizations Running™.

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Business Travel

Hotel Operations Software: Increase Revenue and Strengthen CX

Article | May 17, 2023

Hospitality professionals from all over the world are relying on hotel operations software to optimize their standard procedures. In a survey by Duetto, a hospitality application supplier, 77.6% of 210 industry professionals said they planned to increase their spending on hotel technology in the next three years. “Tech adoption in hotels has been increasingly accelerating as hotels seek greater efficiencies in both front and back of the house, It’s promising to see that more industry leaders are focusing on tech adoption, tech upgrades, and creating an integrated tech stack.” -David Woolenberg, CEO, Duetto The increasing traveler demand for automated services is fuelling the widespread deployment of technology in the travel industry. What Does Hotel Operations Software Do? Hotel operations software or a property management system eases daily tasks like prioritizing hotel room cleaning for early arrivals and automates operations such as housekeeping, front desk, reporting, POS systems, and more. Let us take a look at the features of hotel operations software that make it an indispensable technology solution for hoteliers: Provides Ease of Access A single dashboard for all operations lets team members collaborate without errors. Cloud-based hotel operations software can be accessed 24/7. Allows Unlimited Users Unlimited users can access the platform at no additional cost. New hotel staff can easily use the software. Integrates Major Channel ManagersSeamless integration of the software with major channels lets hotels manage their inventory in real-time, so no double-booking issues arise. Records and Analyzes Guest DataCloud-based hotel operations software securely gathers guest data, records preferences, and predicts and analyzes guest behavior to help hotels elevate their customer experience. Offers Data Security and Payment Gateway Secure card payments and the choice to integrate payment gateways make it easy for hotels to accept payments through methods modern travelers prefer and frequently use. Integrates With Other Applications Third-party integrations with other applications like Global Distribution System (GDS) connect, TripAdvisor connects, and Booking Suite can help hotels manage their sales and operations. Creates Detailed Reports The software creates detailed reports and audits of departments like housekeeping, POS, accounts, etc., that give deep insights on how to increase revenue. Growing Revenue with Hotel Operations Software Hotel operations software minimizes operational expenses and adds value to the service offered to the guests. Automating time-consuming processes alleviates the pressure on employees and reduces labor costs. Here are other ways in which hoteliers can grow their revenue using the software: Entice tech-savvy and modern travelers Increase rate level utilization Improve internal communication Cut down on unnecessary expenses Retain customers through outstanding CX Manage hotel sales efficiently Anticipate demands and address them Reduce the cost of third-party bookings Cross-sell services in owned hotels A Success Story Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts optimized their revenue and loyalty at seven of their mixed-use condo hotels with Maestro PMS, a centralized hotel operations management system. “Maestro PMS hotel software manages all our properties and maximizes revenue on one centralized system,” -Helen Staton, Director of Reservations and Revenue Management for Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts. Summing It Up Hoteliers must enthusiastically adopt technology like hotel operations software to enhance guest experience and aid revenue growth through streamlined, error-free, automated operational processes.

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Hospitality Management

T&E Management: Understanding Travel Spend & Cutting Costs

Article | July 19, 2023

Corporate travel and entertainment are almost every company's second-largest controllable expense after payroll and other benefits offered to employees. When it comes to such expenses, manually recording them on paper, saving crumpled receipts, or even creating Excel spreadsheets doesn’t ensure efficiency. Businesses are implementing software that automates travel and expense management to streamline operations, cut costs and reduce the frustration that repetitive tasks bring. They are leveraging expense data to categorize their travel spends based on projects, departments, and cost centers to stay on top of all their travel-related expenses and financial operations. Control & Transparency Matter Global accounting teams put two things above all else: control and transparency. Without these two, they leave room for risk and mishaps and cannot function efficiently. Travel and expense automation allows financial and accounting teams to see where every dollar is spent. Bills and reimbursements are paid diligently and without much scope for error or expense fraud. Accurate, transparent data can then become the foundation of business decisions on spend and expense forecasting. Employees Dislike Mundane Tasks Your employees have important job functions that they need to carry out on a daily basis. A cloud-based tool that they can access at anytime and from anywhere helps them look at travel expense reporting in a different way. They can spend their time doing productive tasks that do not involve mundane paperwork or tallying expenses manually. Managers Expect Budgeting Compliance No manager is a fan of going over a long paper trail of expenses and verifying if every expense complies with company policy. A travel and expense management software highlights employee travel expense that does not comply with business policy. As approvers, managers can access this data from any place, discuss the matter with the employee in question, and get a quick resolution. Controlled Spending Makes C-level Execs Happy Implementing travel and expense management software helps keep the company’s spend under control. Low spends and high profits make every C-level executive happy. To top it off, it also makes them happy to make their employees happy while maintaining travel spend transparency. Features of T&E Management Software That Make a Difference Extracting important expense data from receipts by scanning Option to submit expense reports via commonly used apps and text messages in a single click A comprehensive view of a trip spend in a single, error-free report Option to set up automated expense approval workflows Quicker employee reimbursement turnaround time Instant expense report submission notifications for prompt review Bottom-line Streamline your T&E process, tackle expense reporting challenges for traveling employees, and simplify expense tracking, approvals, and reimbursements using T&E management software. Empower your finance teams with complete visibility of travel spend to create a seamless automated expense management experience.

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Hospitality Management

Deploying Advanced Technology for Enhanced Travel Management Services

Article | July 18, 2023

Learn how adopting advanced travel technology services can improve your operations in the digital age and evade business complexities. Embrace these technologies for better business growth. Contents 1. Overview of Travel Technology 2. Importance of Technology in Travel Management 2.1 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning 2.2 Virtual and Augmented Reality 2.3 Software and Its Application 2.4 Automation, Analysis and Reporting 2.5 GPS Tracking and Emergency Assistance 2.6 Expense Tracking and Management Tools 2.7 Mobile Wallets and Digital Payments 3. Challenges and Considerations 3.1 Privacy and Data Security Concerns 3.2 Integration with Legacy Systems 3.3 Employee Adoption and Training 4. Conclusion 1. Overview of Travel Technology Technology has not only influenced the lifestyles of human civilization but also completed them to live with it. With proper technology integration in business travel, they can thrive in today's digital world. The travel technology serviceslike artificial intelligence, machine learning, virtual and augmented reality, software applications, automation, GPS tracking, emergency services, expense tracking, and digital payments enhance travel management. This article evaluates the importance of technology in the travel management sector. Using artificial intelligence, software tools, and digital channels is vital for travel business growth. With advanced technology, businesses enhance customer experience, convenience, support, and retention. For example, the technology-based 24/7 customer support and risk management services for an emergency can respond even when the employee is absent. Such automation is the future of travel management services. 2. Importance of Technology in Travel Management 2.1 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Upgrading artificial intelligence solutions increase the reliability and effectiveness of the travel management company's services. There is a vast implementation of AI and machine learning in the tourism sector. Corporate travel technology assists businesses with administrative tasks and customer services. It provides enhanced personalization, valuable advice, and speedy response in the employees' absence. In addition, many hotels and resorts use these tools for better services and brand awareness. 2.2 Virtual and Augmented Reality Virtual and augmented reality enables hotels and travel-related businesses to enhance the physical environments to encourage customer engagement in local sights and hotel rooms. Customers highly research travel purchases as they require detailed information before arrival, and even after their arrival, it renders relevant information 24/7. Therefore, adopting AR and virtual reality in the travel industry is a must to cope with changing customer lifestyles and behavior toward technology trends. Modern customers often use smartphones, so using augmented reality apps is easy to use. 2.3 Software and Its Application Travel management software provides users with a platform for planning, purchasing, and recording travel expenses. Travel agency uses this software to simplify purchasing decisions, centralize records of employee travel expenses, and control travel budgets with digital transformation. 2.4 Automation, Analysis, and Reporting Automation optimizes travel routes according to the choices of the customers. It manages the inventory and analyzes the business travel, maintains the travel reports, and predicts the increase in demand for a particular period. Even with the latest innovation in business travel technology, artificial intelligence like ChatGPT can integrate seamlessly to automate different tasks of businesses from applications like chatbots and others. 2.5 GPS Tracking Its Emergency Assistance The technology-based solutions for travel businesses ensure the workforce's well-being, safety, and security. With constantly evolving travel risks, enterprises need a permanent solution that can adapt to changing travel circumstances and customize to the needs of companies and customers. It provides not only updated information, location, and incident monitoring during travel but also critical event response for safety, as well as suggesting alternatives to the traveler's existing plan. 2.6 Expense Tracking and Management Tools Travel businesses generate a vast amount of data on financial transactions, which can become tedious to manage. To address this issue, travel tech companies offer solutions to organize, monitor, and analyze travel expenses while ensuring compliance with policies. In addition, based on past travel experience, it predicts future travel of business travelers. 2.7 Mobile Wallets and Digital Payments Mobile wallets and digital payments are influencing the growth of travel businesses. The leading travel technology company provides a profitable, convenient, and secure experience to customers. Many use mobile devices for payment using different applications, making it easy to purchase through a simple scan or click. 3. Challenges and Considerations 3.1 Privacy and Data Security Concerns With the increasing amount of sensitive information being collected and shared, travel management companies must follow all applicable privacy laws and regulations. In addition, they must take precision to protect data from unauthorized access, breaches, and cyber-attacks. It can involve implementing strong data encryption and access controls, monitoring systems for suspicious activity, and ensuring that all employees get training in best practices for data security. 3.2 Integration with Legacy Systems Many travel companies have invested heavily in legacy systems, which are difficult to replace or upgrade. However, failing to integrate new technologies can lead to inefficiencies, huge data collection, and missed opportunities. Incorporating new technologies involves developing new APIs, migrating data to new systems, or adopting new technologies that work alongside legacy systems. 3.3 Employee Adoption and Training Employees must get training on using new technologies and learn the resources they need to succeed. It can involve providing ongoing training and support, establishing clear communication channels, and developing incentives for adoption. Travel managers must address any concerns or resistance from employees and work to build excitement for new technologies. Technology and travel are reliant on each other for their business growth and enhancement. 4. Conclusion The usage of the advanced latest technology in the travel management industry is evolving rapidly. Travel businesses integrate the travel technology company to enhance responses and customer experience and stand out. Modern customers demand personalized travel experiences with 24/7 support of GPS tracking, travel monitoring, optimized travel routes, and quick alerts in emergencies. Techno-savvy customers rely more on digital payments and prefer mobile wallets for travel booking. Travel businesses must integrate digital channels to retain and attract these customers. There are particular challenges while using advanced travel technology, like privacy and data security and aligning with legacy systems. In addition, travel managers must encourage employee adoption and training for new technologies.

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Business Travel

Top 5 Ways Travel and Expense Management Solutions Can Help Companies

Article | December 23, 2020

A recent study stated that the travel industry faced an estimated $519 billion loss in 2020 due to the pandemic. Some of the challenges that most companies came across are managing travel expenses, maintaining travel and expense process flow, using the right expense management solutions, and more. As the travel industry is getting back in business, it is overcoming challenges sturdily. To simplify travel and expenses process flow, managers need instant and effective travel and expense management solutions to organize travel plans, submit expense reports, and control overspending on their travels. Before you dive into details about solutions that can improve the travel and expenses process flow and logistics of your company, here is a brief about travel and expense management solutions. An Overview: Travel and Expense Management Solutions Travel and expense management solutions are only relevant businesses that need to control the travel-related expenses of their employees. These solutions help you in understating the integrated spend data and deliver a better user experience. Other than this, these solutions can also help with: Making clearer and smarter data-driven decisions Encouraging policy compliance automatically into travel and expense process flow Saving time to collect data from expense reports automatically Simplifying budgeting Forecasting a more accurate data of the spend How Can You Streamline Your Travel and Expense Management Process? Automated travel management software can help your employees and finance team use the travel and expense management solutions for their benefit. But how? Here are the reasons to support: Employees could: Effortlessly manage receipts and submits the details of corporate travel Submit digital travel and expenses report instantly using a centralized travel and expense software Maintain compliance with the existing reimbursement policy for corporate travel and expenses in your company Finance teams could: They can create transparency in corporate spending reports by using travel management software and its automatic function. They can have better control over their travel expenses. 5 Ways Travel and Expense Management Solutions Can Help Companies Travel and expense management solutions give all travel and expense management services easy access to align in one place. By doing this, you will be able to gain more control over services and enforce compliance. Here are five ways your business can effortlessly adopt new travel and expense management solutions and help you win challenges faced during the pandemic. Review the Selected Solutions Before you implement a travel and expense management system, it is vital to review preferred travel and expense management solutions that your business requires. This will help the travel expenses workflow align seamlessly and make employees understand what it takes to manage the entire travel expense scenario accurately. Conduct Surveys If you are going to switch the old travel expenses method and adapting advanced travel and expense management solutions, it is crucial to survey the users who have used the solution and know its performance. This survey will help your employees to know if the chosen travel management software suits your requirements. The next step is to keep an eye on the most frequent and critical users, which will help you to have a clear insight into new trends that are being followed in terms of managing the workflow efficiently. By this, you can also implement it in your company. It also helps identify where your process needs refinement to facilitate efficiency in the expense management system. Prioritize the Must-haves The next step should include the collected input from the survey for setting up the foundation of priority of needs. In this case, creating a checklist is an ideal option. Prioritizing the best travel management software with apt travel and expense management solutions according to your workflow can help you select the right travel expense software for your organization. You can select travel and expense management solutions that consist of: Report building automation Auto fill options Remote access User-friendly interface Helpful support Mobile functionality Quick international payment Introduce Demo Sessions If you use an advanced global travel and expense management system, it is recommended to provide demo sessions of the preferred travel and expense management solutions to your team. The demo sessions could be an opportunity for your team to witness travel and expense management services created from reputable travel management software in action. With this, you can know about a host of details about the implementation of travel expense software, integrations, user training, travel and expense process, and its flow. This contributes towards the successful adoption of a travel expense system and proves the abilities of the travel and expense management solutions selected by you to scale your business as it grows. Choose a Solution Once you have organized multiple demo sessions of various global travel and expense management solutions, it's time to choose the best travel expenses management software that fits your company's culture and requirements. Take a good look at the pros and cons of the final travel expense planner you consider for integrated expense management solutions to combat your existing challenges. Being cautious while choosing the right global travel and expense management solutions will benefit your employees, and they will be able to use it for the company's advantage at a much faster pace. Frequently Asked Questions What you should know about expense management software? Here are some benefits of an expense management software: Ease of access Minimum manual intervention Higher cost savings Faster reimbursements Eco-friendly process (no paperwork) A simple process that simplifies workflow Encourages errorless work and delays Your employees can find the best travel and expense management solutions using various expense travel management software. How to manage travel expenses? There are several travel and expense management solutions to manage travel expenses. Here are some ways in which you can manage your travel expenses: Keep a track of expense details Plan ahead before setting a policy Stay aware of the policies Have an effective approval process of expense Organize spend data Why use an expense management software? An expense management software helps a business ease expense reporting, manage other aspects, and deliver the right travel and expense management solutions. It offers efficient workflow to the finance teams while recording expenses, data, approvals, controlling costs, and more. What are the most crucial features to manage expenses? The most crucial features to manage expenses are: Real-time policy checks The seamless expense reporting process Digital audits Advanced level of data analyses Easy approval process { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What you should know about expense management software?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Here are some benefits of an expense management software: Ease of access Minimum manual intervention Higher cost savings Faster reimbursements Eco-friendly process (no paperwork) A simple process that simplifies workflow Encourages errorless work and delays Your employees can find the best travel and expense management solutions using various expense travel management software." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "How to manage travel expenses?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "There are several travel and expense management solutions to manage travel expenses. Here are some ways in which you can manage your travel expenses: Keep a track of expense details Plan ahead before setting a policy Stay aware of the policies Have an effective approval process of expense Organize spend data" } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "Why use an expense management software?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "An expense management software helps a business ease expense reporting, manage other aspects, and deliver the right travel and expense management solutions. It offers efficient workflow to the finance teams while recording expenses, data, approvals, controlling costs, and more." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What are the most crucial features to manage expenses?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The most crucial features to manage expenses are: Real-time policy checks The seamless expense reporting process Digital audits Advanced level of data analyses Easy approval process" } }] }

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Spotlight

Everbridge

Everbridge empowers enterprises and government organizations to anticipate, mitigate, respond to, and recover stronger from critical events. In today’s unpredictable world, resilient organizations minimize impact to people and operations, absorb stress, and return to productivity faster when deploying critical event management (CEM) technology. Everbridge digitizes organizational resilience by combining intelligent automation with the industry’s most comprehensive risk data to Keep People Safe and Organizations Running™.

Related News

Hospitality Trends

Loews Hotels & Co Breaks Ground on New $550 Million Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center

Loews Hotels & Co | October 13, 2021

Loews Hotels & Co, a wholly owned subsidiary of Loews Corporation, has officially broken ground on the new $550 million Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center. Executives from the company were joined by Arlington Mayor Jim Ross, former Mayor Jeff Williams, Chairman & Managing Partner of the Texas Rangers Ray Davis, The Cordish Companies' Director of Communications, Cari Furman, along with members of the Arlington City Council and other community and business leaders, to recognize and celebrate this milestone. The addition of the Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center, a full-service resort, will further strengthen Arlington's robust convention and tourism opportunities. The city is one of the premier sports and entertainment destinations in the United States, and a leading destination for meetings, events, and leisure travel. "Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center will allow us to capitalize on what we do best – combine a unique meetings and events destination with a best-in-class leisure resort. This significant investment further underscores our confidence and commitment not only in the great City of Arlington, Texas but also in the strength of the travel and tourism industry and our belief in the recovery of post-pandemic travel." Jonathan Tisch, Chairman & CEO, Loews Hotels & Co. This property will be the second Arlington hotel for the hospitality company. Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center is scheduled to open in early 2024. This new hotel will be located across from Live! by Loews, which is a joint venture among Loews Hotels & Co, the Texas Rangers and The Cordish Companies, built on the former Texas Rangers' Lot J parking lot. "Arlington has some of the best built-in demand generators in the country, such as AT&T Stadium and Globe-Life Field. These attractions, coupled with Loews Hotels' track record of offering distinctive experiences alongside operational excellence, will help establish the Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center as a centerpiece in The American Dream City," said Alex Tisch, President, Loews Hotels & Co. "Our goal is for Arlington, Texas to stand alongside Las Vegas and Orland as one of the preeminent family, sports and entertainment destinations in America." This new project marks the first time that Loews Hotels & Co is acting as the developer as well as the owner and branded operator. The nearly $550 million project is financed with Loews Hotels & Co capital and a $300 million loan from MetLife Investment Management. "Arlington continues to build on our incredible economic momentum, and today's groundbreaking is another exciting example of our commitment to job creation and providing world-class amenities to our residents and visitors," said Arlington Mayor Jim Ross. "Loews Hotels & Co is a best-in-class hotel brand and with innovative partners like Loews Hotels & Co, the Tisch Family, the Texas Rangers and The Cordish Companies, we're able to further establish The American Dream City as a premier destination for visitors around the globe." Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center will feature: 888 guestrooms and suites 200,000 square feet of indoor meeting space 66,000 square feet of outdoor space, including an oversized event lawn Five food and beverage outlets, including a three-meal indoor/outdoor restaurant featuring two wood-fire pizza ovens and homemade pasta made on-site and a soon-to-be-named third-party restaurant from a well-known restaurateur 1,550-space parking garage Resort-style beach club with two pools, man-made beach, cabanas, fire pits and water slide The Arlington Convention Center, also operated by Loews Hotels & Co, will be located within the hotel Situated between Globe Life Field and AT&T Stadium, Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center will be accessible to the 300-room Live! by Loews via a Sky Bridge. The two hotels combined will offer nearly 1,200 guestrooms and more than 300,000 square feet of meeting and event space. "The addition of the Loews Arlington Hotel and the Arlington Convention Center bring the development of the Arlington Entertainment District to another whole level," said Texas Rangers Chairman and Managing Partner Ray Davis. "The existing world-class sports and entertainment venues will now be complimented by incredible hotel and meeting facilities that will attract national and international events of all kinds. I want to thank our partners, the City of Arlington, Loews Hotels & Co, and The Cordish Companies for sharing our vision that has become a spectacular reality in a few short years." Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center is part of phase two of the development of Arlington's Entertainment District. Continuing their public-private partnership with the City of Arlington, Loews Hotels & Co, The Texas Rangers and The Cordish Companies are building upon the momentum and success of Texas Live!, Live! by Loews, and the Rangers' new Globe Life Field. Additional features of the new expansion include a mixed-use residential building and a Spark coworking space, both developed by The Cordish Companies. "It is an honor for The Cordish Companies to continue our partnership with the Texas Rangers, Loews Hotels & Co and the City of Arlington to deliver a transformative project for Arlington," said Blake Cordish, Principal of The Cordish Companies. "Loews is one of the preeminent hoteliers in North America and a leader in the convention and meetings industry. The groundbreaking of the new Loews Arlington Hotel and Arlington Convention Center is an important next step in our commitment to create a world-class, mixed-use development that will cement Arlington as one of the leading premier sports, entertainment, culture, hospitality and tourism destinations in the country." Loews Hotels & Co is working with HKS as the architect and Looney & Associates on the interior design for this new development. Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center is being built by JE Dunn, who recently built the Loews Kansas City Hotel, which opened in June 2020. Arlington's Con-Real is also involved in the construction of the project. About Loews Hotels & Co Headquartered in New York City, Loews Hotels & Co is rooted in deep heritage and excellence in service. The hospitality company encompasses branded independent Loews Hotels, and a solid mix of partner-brand hotels. Loews Hotels & Co owns and/or operates 26 hotels and resorts across the U.S. and Canada, including the new Loews Kansas City and Universal's Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites, the eighth hotel in partnership with Comcast NBC Universal that opened at the end of 2020. Located in major city centers and resort destinations from coast to coast, the Loews Hotels portfolio features properties grounded in family heritage and dedicated to delivering unscripted guest moments with a handcrafted approach.

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Cruise

iCruise celebrates the return of cruising with the World's Largest Cruise & Travel Sale from October 11-17

iCruise | October 11, 2021

Cruise travel is back, and so is the World's Largest Cruise and Travel Sale taking place from October 11 through 17, 2021. During the weeklong event, iCruise, the leading cruise booking platform for cruise-lovers, is offering unheard-of discounts on cruises, packages, and other travel inventory. Travelers can expect significant discounts of up to 60% off cruises from Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity, Holland American Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and a host of other cruise lines. Now that US ports open again to cruise travel, bookings are on the rise. Travelers and cruisers can be assured that comprehensive health protocols and processes are in place and have made cruising as safe and hassle-free as possible. And many of the major cruise lines have launched brand new ships with new amenities. "We're very pleased to be able to bring back the World's Largest Cruise and Travel Sale," "What better way to celebrate the return of cruise travel than by providing the ultimate travel savings for millions of cruise lovers across the U.S.? We can offer amazing travel deals to travelers, enabling them to enjoy the trip of their lifetimes and make cherished memories with their families." said Uf Tukel, Senior Vice President and CoFounder of iCruise. This year's sale inventory offers a wider network of cruise, resort and hotel suppliers, including significant deals on close-to-home hotels, resorts, car rentals and flights. Cruise operators and participating hotels and resorts are also making fully vaccinated itineraries available to health and safety-conscious travelers. Available discounted itineraries include Caribbean, Mediterranean, Alaska and European river cruises in various categories ranging from budget/family-friendly to ultra-luxury. Additional deals may include free onboard credits, reduced deposits, cabin upgrades, exclusive shore excursions and in-room perks. Because iCruise is also a full-service online travel booking site, travelers will also be able to book their flights, car rentals and pre- and post-cruise hotel stays during the sale – and earn a $100 credit toward a future booking with the iCruise Travel Rewards program. About iCruise iCruise is a Florida-based travel company specializing in cruises resort vacations. Arrivia, Inc. acquired iCruise in December of 2019. Arrivia is a global leader in travel-based loyalty and reward solutions. With the acquisition of iCruise, Arrivia reaffirms its strategic commitment to the cruise industry and expands its capabilities to deliver unmatched cruise value and services to its business partners and consumers worldwide. Our travel partners include all major cruise lines including Carnival, Celebrity, Cunard, Disney, Holland America, Princess, Regent Seven Seas, and Royal Caribbean; and our cruise specialists are trained in all cruise destinations including Alaska, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Europe and the Panama Canal.

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Industry Outlook

Jurny Raises $9.5M to Redefine Property and Guest Management for the New Age of Travel

Jurny, Inc. | October 04, 2021

Jurny, Inc., the hospitality tech company powering operations and modern guest experiences for some of the world's most exceptional independent hotel brands, vacation and short-term rental (STR) properties, announced it raised an additional $9.5M in capital, in a round led by Mucker Capital. In part, the funds are being utilized to accelerate the global expansion of its latest product offering, Jurny Virtual. The new offering provides a simplified, fully-connected tech stack by seamlessly integrating and connecting most major channel management (CMS), point of sale (POS), room management (RMS), facility management (FMS), marketing and smart home tech solutions in one, easy-to-navigate operator dashboard. "Our mission is to help small- to medium-sized operators and hotel owners access a premium ecosystem that offers the benefit of economies of scale, not yet available to even some of the world's largest hotel chains, Jurny Virtual is revolutionizing the industry by providing a premier service at a much lower cost, including time, without requiring an upfront investment." said Luca Zambello, Co-Founder and CEO at Jurny "Operators using Jurny's best-in-class tech are seeing, on average, a 20% increase in revenue, 50% decrease in overhead costs and 2x net operating income (NOI) within the first 30 days of implementation," said Erik Rannala, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Mucker Capital. "These numbers are unmatched in the industry and illustrate that Jurny and its customers are positioned to dominate the global hotel, short-term and vacation rental management market." Jurny Virtual provides hotel owners and property managers with a comprehensive solution to automate and streamline operations. In addition to the tech stack, Jurny provides additional services like 24/7 inquiry support and virtual concierge, access control, guest screening, review management, accounting and more - all easily accessible for owners in a single location to manage their entire operations. "The unpredictable global events that unfolded over the past 18 months have undoubtedly changed the travel landscape forever, leaving in its wake an unprecedented number of property owners and operators struggling to recover losses and grappling with the complexities of change in the marketplace," said David Phillips, Co-Founder and President at Jurny. "Designed to help independent lodging operators and management companies navigate the shifting market demands, Jurny Virtual provides a single, affordable and easy-to-implement solution for the tools and technology required to compete and thrive in today's rapidly evolving environment." The Jurny management team is composed of hospitality industry veterans and tech insiders, including former executives of Melia Hotels International, Eurostars Hotels, The Chateau Marmont Hotel and Galeno Group. Its investment team and board of advisors include former senior management from eBay, Intel Corp., Sun Microsystems, Mattel and TripAdvisor. Jurny is headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices around the world. The company's vertically integrated model is designed to address redundancies, reduce overhead and increase profits for stakeholders. In the past year, Jurny has more than doubled the number of units under its platform with a growing presence in major cities across the globe. About Jurny Jurny is a hospitality tech company founded for operators, by operators. The company offers SaaS and hardware solutions for hotel owners and property managers designed to accommodate the modern traveler. From design to implementation, Jurny's one-stop solution enables an industry-first true automated experience from check-in to check-out for both guests and hosts, resulting in flawless operations and increased profits. Jurny is pioneering the next generation of tech-first, on-demand hospitality.

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Hospitality Trends

Loews Hotels & Co Breaks Ground on New $550 Million Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center

Loews Hotels & Co | October 13, 2021

Loews Hotels & Co, a wholly owned subsidiary of Loews Corporation, has officially broken ground on the new $550 million Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center. Executives from the company were joined by Arlington Mayor Jim Ross, former Mayor Jeff Williams, Chairman & Managing Partner of the Texas Rangers Ray Davis, The Cordish Companies' Director of Communications, Cari Furman, along with members of the Arlington City Council and other community and business leaders, to recognize and celebrate this milestone. The addition of the Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center, a full-service resort, will further strengthen Arlington's robust convention and tourism opportunities. The city is one of the premier sports and entertainment destinations in the United States, and a leading destination for meetings, events, and leisure travel. "Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center will allow us to capitalize on what we do best – combine a unique meetings and events destination with a best-in-class leisure resort. This significant investment further underscores our confidence and commitment not only in the great City of Arlington, Texas but also in the strength of the travel and tourism industry and our belief in the recovery of post-pandemic travel." Jonathan Tisch, Chairman & CEO, Loews Hotels & Co. This property will be the second Arlington hotel for the hospitality company. Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center is scheduled to open in early 2024. This new hotel will be located across from Live! by Loews, which is a joint venture among Loews Hotels & Co, the Texas Rangers and The Cordish Companies, built on the former Texas Rangers' Lot J parking lot. "Arlington has some of the best built-in demand generators in the country, such as AT&T Stadium and Globe-Life Field. These attractions, coupled with Loews Hotels' track record of offering distinctive experiences alongside operational excellence, will help establish the Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center as a centerpiece in The American Dream City," said Alex Tisch, President, Loews Hotels & Co. "Our goal is for Arlington, Texas to stand alongside Las Vegas and Orland as one of the preeminent family, sports and entertainment destinations in America." This new project marks the first time that Loews Hotels & Co is acting as the developer as well as the owner and branded operator. The nearly $550 million project is financed with Loews Hotels & Co capital and a $300 million loan from MetLife Investment Management. "Arlington continues to build on our incredible economic momentum, and today's groundbreaking is another exciting example of our commitment to job creation and providing world-class amenities to our residents and visitors," said Arlington Mayor Jim Ross. "Loews Hotels & Co is a best-in-class hotel brand and with innovative partners like Loews Hotels & Co, the Tisch Family, the Texas Rangers and The Cordish Companies, we're able to further establish The American Dream City as a premier destination for visitors around the globe." Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center will feature: 888 guestrooms and suites 200,000 square feet of indoor meeting space 66,000 square feet of outdoor space, including an oversized event lawn Five food and beverage outlets, including a three-meal indoor/outdoor restaurant featuring two wood-fire pizza ovens and homemade pasta made on-site and a soon-to-be-named third-party restaurant from a well-known restaurateur 1,550-space parking garage Resort-style beach club with two pools, man-made beach, cabanas, fire pits and water slide The Arlington Convention Center, also operated by Loews Hotels & Co, will be located within the hotel Situated between Globe Life Field and AT&T Stadium, Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center will be accessible to the 300-room Live! by Loews via a Sky Bridge. The two hotels combined will offer nearly 1,200 guestrooms and more than 300,000 square feet of meeting and event space. "The addition of the Loews Arlington Hotel and the Arlington Convention Center bring the development of the Arlington Entertainment District to another whole level," said Texas Rangers Chairman and Managing Partner Ray Davis. "The existing world-class sports and entertainment venues will now be complimented by incredible hotel and meeting facilities that will attract national and international events of all kinds. I want to thank our partners, the City of Arlington, Loews Hotels & Co, and The Cordish Companies for sharing our vision that has become a spectacular reality in a few short years." Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center is part of phase two of the development of Arlington's Entertainment District. Continuing their public-private partnership with the City of Arlington, Loews Hotels & Co, The Texas Rangers and The Cordish Companies are building upon the momentum and success of Texas Live!, Live! by Loews, and the Rangers' new Globe Life Field. Additional features of the new expansion include a mixed-use residential building and a Spark coworking space, both developed by The Cordish Companies. "It is an honor for The Cordish Companies to continue our partnership with the Texas Rangers, Loews Hotels & Co and the City of Arlington to deliver a transformative project for Arlington," said Blake Cordish, Principal of The Cordish Companies. "Loews is one of the preeminent hoteliers in North America and a leader in the convention and meetings industry. The groundbreaking of the new Loews Arlington Hotel and Arlington Convention Center is an important next step in our commitment to create a world-class, mixed-use development that will cement Arlington as one of the leading premier sports, entertainment, culture, hospitality and tourism destinations in the country." Loews Hotels & Co is working with HKS as the architect and Looney & Associates on the interior design for this new development. Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center is being built by JE Dunn, who recently built the Loews Kansas City Hotel, which opened in June 2020. Arlington's Con-Real is also involved in the construction of the project. About Loews Hotels & Co Headquartered in New York City, Loews Hotels & Co is rooted in deep heritage and excellence in service. The hospitality company encompasses branded independent Loews Hotels, and a solid mix of partner-brand hotels. Loews Hotels & Co owns and/or operates 26 hotels and resorts across the U.S. and Canada, including the new Loews Kansas City and Universal's Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites, the eighth hotel in partnership with Comcast NBC Universal that opened at the end of 2020. Located in major city centers and resort destinations from coast to coast, the Loews Hotels portfolio features properties grounded in family heritage and dedicated to delivering unscripted guest moments with a handcrafted approach.

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Cruise

iCruise celebrates the return of cruising with the World's Largest Cruise & Travel Sale from October 11-17

iCruise | October 11, 2021

Cruise travel is back, and so is the World's Largest Cruise and Travel Sale taking place from October 11 through 17, 2021. During the weeklong event, iCruise, the leading cruise booking platform for cruise-lovers, is offering unheard-of discounts on cruises, packages, and other travel inventory. Travelers can expect significant discounts of up to 60% off cruises from Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity, Holland American Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and a host of other cruise lines. Now that US ports open again to cruise travel, bookings are on the rise. Travelers and cruisers can be assured that comprehensive health protocols and processes are in place and have made cruising as safe and hassle-free as possible. And many of the major cruise lines have launched brand new ships with new amenities. "We're very pleased to be able to bring back the World's Largest Cruise and Travel Sale," "What better way to celebrate the return of cruise travel than by providing the ultimate travel savings for millions of cruise lovers across the U.S.? We can offer amazing travel deals to travelers, enabling them to enjoy the trip of their lifetimes and make cherished memories with their families." said Uf Tukel, Senior Vice President and CoFounder of iCruise. This year's sale inventory offers a wider network of cruise, resort and hotel suppliers, including significant deals on close-to-home hotels, resorts, car rentals and flights. Cruise operators and participating hotels and resorts are also making fully vaccinated itineraries available to health and safety-conscious travelers. Available discounted itineraries include Caribbean, Mediterranean, Alaska and European river cruises in various categories ranging from budget/family-friendly to ultra-luxury. Additional deals may include free onboard credits, reduced deposits, cabin upgrades, exclusive shore excursions and in-room perks. Because iCruise is also a full-service online travel booking site, travelers will also be able to book their flights, car rentals and pre- and post-cruise hotel stays during the sale – and earn a $100 credit toward a future booking with the iCruise Travel Rewards program. About iCruise iCruise is a Florida-based travel company specializing in cruises resort vacations. Arrivia, Inc. acquired iCruise in December of 2019. Arrivia is a global leader in travel-based loyalty and reward solutions. With the acquisition of iCruise, Arrivia reaffirms its strategic commitment to the cruise industry and expands its capabilities to deliver unmatched cruise value and services to its business partners and consumers worldwide. Our travel partners include all major cruise lines including Carnival, Celebrity, Cunard, Disney, Holland America, Princess, Regent Seven Seas, and Royal Caribbean; and our cruise specialists are trained in all cruise destinations including Alaska, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Europe and the Panama Canal.

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Industry Outlook

Jurny Raises $9.5M to Redefine Property and Guest Management for the New Age of Travel

Jurny, Inc. | October 04, 2021

Jurny, Inc., the hospitality tech company powering operations and modern guest experiences for some of the world's most exceptional independent hotel brands, vacation and short-term rental (STR) properties, announced it raised an additional $9.5M in capital, in a round led by Mucker Capital. In part, the funds are being utilized to accelerate the global expansion of its latest product offering, Jurny Virtual. The new offering provides a simplified, fully-connected tech stack by seamlessly integrating and connecting most major channel management (CMS), point of sale (POS), room management (RMS), facility management (FMS), marketing and smart home tech solutions in one, easy-to-navigate operator dashboard. "Our mission is to help small- to medium-sized operators and hotel owners access a premium ecosystem that offers the benefit of economies of scale, not yet available to even some of the world's largest hotel chains, Jurny Virtual is revolutionizing the industry by providing a premier service at a much lower cost, including time, without requiring an upfront investment." said Luca Zambello, Co-Founder and CEO at Jurny "Operators using Jurny's best-in-class tech are seeing, on average, a 20% increase in revenue, 50% decrease in overhead costs and 2x net operating income (NOI) within the first 30 days of implementation," said Erik Rannala, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Mucker Capital. "These numbers are unmatched in the industry and illustrate that Jurny and its customers are positioned to dominate the global hotel, short-term and vacation rental management market." Jurny Virtual provides hotel owners and property managers with a comprehensive solution to automate and streamline operations. In addition to the tech stack, Jurny provides additional services like 24/7 inquiry support and virtual concierge, access control, guest screening, review management, accounting and more - all easily accessible for owners in a single location to manage their entire operations. "The unpredictable global events that unfolded over the past 18 months have undoubtedly changed the travel landscape forever, leaving in its wake an unprecedented number of property owners and operators struggling to recover losses and grappling with the complexities of change in the marketplace," said David Phillips, Co-Founder and President at Jurny. "Designed to help independent lodging operators and management companies navigate the shifting market demands, Jurny Virtual provides a single, affordable and easy-to-implement solution for the tools and technology required to compete and thrive in today's rapidly evolving environment." The Jurny management team is composed of hospitality industry veterans and tech insiders, including former executives of Melia Hotels International, Eurostars Hotels, The Chateau Marmont Hotel and Galeno Group. Its investment team and board of advisors include former senior management from eBay, Intel Corp., Sun Microsystems, Mattel and TripAdvisor. Jurny is headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices around the world. The company's vertically integrated model is designed to address redundancies, reduce overhead and increase profits for stakeholders. In the past year, Jurny has more than doubled the number of units under its platform with a growing presence in major cities across the globe. About Jurny Jurny is a hospitality tech company founded for operators, by operators. The company offers SaaS and hardware solutions for hotel owners and property managers designed to accommodate the modern traveler. From design to implementation, Jurny's one-stop solution enables an industry-first true automated experience from check-in to check-out for both guests and hosts, resulting in flawless operations and increased profits. Jurny is pioneering the next generation of tech-first, on-demand hospitality.

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Events