Hospitality Trends
Globenewswire | July 10, 2023
Phunware, Inc.the pioneer of Location Based SaaS that offers the only fully integrated enterprise cloud platform for mobile that enables brands to engage, manage and monetize anyone anywhere, announced today its Smart Hospitality Solution is being launched at Thumper Pond Resort.
Set in the heart of Minnesota, Thumper Pond Resort is an oasis of relaxation and recreation. With its championship golf course, luxurious spa, world-class dining and an invigorating indoor water park, Thumper Pond Resort offers an unrivaled blend of tranquility and exhilaration. Surrounded by over 200 acres of verdant woodland, the resort promises a captivating escape from the everyday, immersing guests in a world where the ambiance of natural beauty is complemented by top-tier amenities and a commitment to outstanding service.
"We are thrilled to bring our Smart Hospitality Solution to the prestigious Thumper Pond Resort in partnership with its innovative new owner who is committed to digital transformation," said Russ Buyse, CEO of Phunware. "Our technology will help redefine the guest experience by offering a unique blend of personalized services and digital amenities that seamlessly integrate with and enhance the existing infrastructure across such a beautiful property."
Key features of Phunware’s Smart Hospitality Solution include:
Mobile Application: Native iOS and Android applications optimized for hospitality that can take advantage of core device capabilities that make experiences more secure, intuitive and engaging.
Contextual Engagement: Guests can receive notifications based on their location and preferences, improving communication and enhancing the guest experience.
Location-Based Services: With these features, guests can easily find their way around the resort with indoor navigation, wayfinding and mapping.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Analytics: Using AI and machine learning, the platform collects, analyzes and makes recommendations based on data to provide insights that can improve services, personalize engagement and increase operational efficiency.
"Phunware's Smart Hospitality Solution aligns perfectly with our commitment to providing guests with a superior and personalized experience," said Jatin Patel, Owner of Thumper Pond Resort. "By embracing this advanced technology, we hope to create an unforgettable stay for our guests, offering them innovative and engaging services."
About Thumper Pond Resort
Featuring 78 spacious suites and 26 RV sites across more than 210 acres, Thumper Pond Resort is a premier choice in central Minnesota lakes country for family reunions, corporate retreats, golf outings and destination weddings. With a stunning golf course and enough activities onsite to keep everyone busy, the resort is a premier choice of Otter Tail County hotels for group and corporate travel. Thumper Pond Resort is located three hours northwest of the Twin Cities or ninety minutes southeast of Fargo.
About Phunware, Inc.
Everything You Need to Succeed on Mobile — Transforming Digital Human Experience
Phunware, Inc. (NASDAQ: PHUN), the pioneer of Location Based SaaS that offers the only fully integrated enterprise cloud platform for mobile that enables brands to engage, manage and monetize anyone anywhere. Phunware’s Software Development Kits (SDKs) include location-based services, mobile engagement, content management, messaging, advertising, loyalty (PhunCoin & PhunToken) and analytics, as well as a mobile application framework of pre-integrated iOS and Android software modules for building in-house or channel-based mobile application and vertical solutions. Phunware helps the world’s most respected brands create category-defining mobile experiences, with approximately one billion active devices touching its platform each month when operating at scale. For more information about how Phunware is transforming the way consumers and brands interact with mobile in the virtual and physical worlds, visit https://phunware.com.
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Destination and Tourism
businesswire | July 07, 2023
Life House, an innovative management company for independent hotels, is proud to announce the launch of its Referral Program. The hotel industry is in a period of low transaction and development activity and the program is designed to support those folks who are particularly impacted, including brokers, developers, architects, designers, and hotel owners. Life House’s management services and revenue management solutions are designed to help owners yearning for better results with less effort, especially in the current economic environment - and Life House is committed to supporting the hotel community that fuses the industry together.
With its tech-driven management approach, Life House makes hotels more profitable and makes owning a hotel hassle-free, with case studies showing NOI increases of 250% and improved guest experiences. The model leverages proprietary tech and complex operating systems and processes to deliver consistent success across its diverse portfolio of 100+ properties, ranging from select service hotels, to lifestyle motels, to luxury Forbes Five Star hotels and those affiliated with Leading Hotels of the World.
While the Company has been receiving referrals for years, Life House is now launching a formal referral program given the economic climate to support both the hotel owners it serves as well as those who make referrals. The referral fees may not be as lucrative as a broker transaction fee, but could be up to $50,000, depending on the size of the hotel referred. If an introduction results in Life House signing a Hotel Management Agreement, Life House will provide a one-time reward in the amount of 0.5% of LTM Revenue for existing operating hotels OR 0.5% of Projected Year 1 Revenue for new builds or hotels that will undergo renovation.
"We’re deeply committed to our mission of helping not only independent hotel owners, but the industry as a whole. We understand that the hotel industry is small and while most of our friends, broker partners, etc. make referrals out of the goodness of their hospitality spirit, we wanted to be proactive to reward those who may be going through a dry patch in this economic environment," said Rami Zeidan, Founder & CEO of Life House.
About Life House
Life House is a vertically integrated hotel management & technology company focused on serving small and medium independent hotels with institutional quality service. Life House uses advanced software & operating systems to increase profitability and reliability for independent hotels throughout North America. Life House was founded in 2017 by real estate, hospitality, and technology veterans and is backed by world renowned private equity and venture investors. The company is ambitiously investing in its operational systems to make hotels far more profitable, predictable, and seamless for owners.
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Travel Technology
prnewswire | July 06, 2023
Trip.com Group, a leading travel service provider and Tourism New Zealand, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote New Zealand as a key tourism destination in Asia Pacific.
Trip.com Group's Vice President of Destination Marketing & Strategy Alliances, Edison Chen, and Tourism New Zealand's Board Chairman, Jamie Tuuta, in the presence of New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, signed the MOU. The Prime Minister is currently on a working visit to China.
As part of the collaboration, both parties will launch a series of joint marketing campaigns to attract tourists from Asia Pacific to New Zealand. The markets include the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Australia. This will involve the creation of appealing and attractive travel itineraries and experiences to meet specific visitor needs, positioning New Zealand as a destination of choice for travellers.
This partnership marks the first Asia Pacific pan-regional collaboration for both sides.
Edison Chen, Vice President of Destination Marketing & Strategy Alliances, at Trip.com Group said, "With the reopening of China's border, we have seen a marked increase in outbound travel-related bookings and searches in the recent months. We look forward to collaborating with Tourism New Zealand to leverage our resources and deep data insights to boost New Zealand tourism development, fully optimising the travel experience for tourists in New Zealand."
"With the resurgence of international travel post-pandemic, this collaboration could not be better for both parties involved."
Data from Trip.com Group's Ctrip and Trip.com platforms show a keen interest in travel in Asia Pacific, including New Zealand.
Specifically, searches for flights to New Zealand have seen a significant increase of nearly 560% year-on-year, and the volume of bookings was up over 570% compared to the same period last year.
The Chinese mainland was the top source of arrivals to New Zealand in the first half of this year, followed by other key markets, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, and South Korea, making the top 10 list.
Tourism New Zealand's Chief Executive, René de Monchy said, "Through the partnership, Tourism New Zealand aims to provide Asia Pacific travellers with more convenient booking methods, personalised itinerary planning, and comprehensive service support. We look forward to welcoming travellers to deeply explore the beautiful landscapes and unique culture of Aotearoa New Zealand, as well as experience our manaakitanga."
About Tourism New Zealand
Tourism New Zealand is responsible for promoting New Zealand in key markets as a visitor destination.Tourism New Zealand is the organisation responsible for marketing New Zealand as a holiday destination. The major tool we use to do this is the 100% Pure New Zealand marketing campaign, a campaign that has evolved over the past decade to make New Zealand one of the world's most well-respected tourism brands.
About Trip.com Group
Trip.com Group is a leading global travel service provider comprising of Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner and Qunar. Across its platforms, Trip.com Group helps travellers around the world make informed and cost-effective bookings for travel products and services and enables partners to connect their offerings with users through the aggregation of comprehensive travel-related content and resources, and an advanced transaction platform consisting of apps, websites and 24/7 customer service centres. Founded in 1999 and listed on NASDAQ in 2003 and HKEX in 2021, Trip.com Group has become one of the best-known travel groups in the world, with the mission "to pursue the perfect trip for a better world".
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