Hospitality Trends
businesswire | August 16, 2023
Bleisure travel has been deemed a pandemic silver lining, according to The Year of “New” Traveler report from the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA), published in 2022. Although combining leisure and business travel wasn’t a new concept before 2020, such arrangements have become more commonplace as multi-day bleisure trips are a new travel norm.
Further, today’s traveler wants it all from their lodging and travel provider. While cleanliness and safety are table stakes, they also crave multiple amenity options like dining at different price points, gaming, retail shopping, theater-style shows and spa treatments. Bleisure travelers not only want the additional amenities, but they also desire access to self-booking and self-service technology, to make the most of their time between business and leisure.
Potawatomi Casino Hotel, located in downtown Milwaukee, is one such property that not only provides several on-site amenities but has implemented hospitality technology to create guest and employee champions at every touchpoint. Potawatomi Casino Hotel, one of Wisconsin’s most popular entertainment destinations featuring more than 1.1 million square feet, chose to replace systems previously in use with two award-winning point-of-sale (POS) systems from Agilysys to optimize food and beverage interactions and enhance guest and staff experiences.
Agilysys, Inc. (NASDAQ: AGYS) is a leading global provider of hospitality software solutions that delivers High Return Hospitality. Its latest point-of-sale (POS) systems combine highly interactive terminal and tablet touchscreen applications supporting Windows, Android and iOS devices and includes strong information security for data protection. The robust reporting and analysis features, extensive enterprise-grade menu and item configuration capabilities and multi-language support help drive service flexibility and increased operational efficiency.
Since installing the POS platforms from the Agilysys Hospitality Core Collection™, Potawatomi Casino Hotel staff have been able to provide enhanced experiences throughout the property that serves 6 million-plus guest visits annually. The property, owned and operated by the Forest County Potawatomi Community, features:
Gaming, which includes state-of-the art slot machines, bingo, table games and a temporary sportsbook.
Restaurants and bars, including the four-star Dream Dance Steakhouse Canal Street Café, authentic Asian noodle and sushi bar RuYi and The Potawatomi Marketplace.
Entertainment at several on-site venues, such as the 1,500-seat Potawatomi Event Center and nightlife hot spot Bar 360.
Deluxe amenities at its 500-room, 19-story hotel, including 75 suites, some of which offer stunning views if the Milwaukee skyline and Lake Michigan.
Full-service catering for corporate and social events.
With such a large, comprehensive enterprise, the 3,000-employee Potawatomi Casino Hotel has improved guest and staff experience by investing in Agilysys’ mobile food & beverage ordering and kiosk systems, resulting in better reviews, increased satisfaction and greater on-property spend.
“Coming off the pandemic, guests want it all, and technology helps us deliver,” said Garret Finocchiaro, CIO at Potawatomi Casino Hotel. “We are in a much better position to create the High Return Hospitality experiences they expect with Agilysys’ POS solutions at staff members’ fingertips. Additionally, such technology helps us attract and retain top talent in a tight labor market in a growing sector.”
The U.S. Bureau Labor Statistics reports overall employment in the gaming industry is expected to increase 17% from 2021 to 2022 — quicker than the average for all occupations. As such, Potawatomi Casino Hotel management understands the need for hospitality-specific solutions to up the proverbial ante to keep staff — and guest — satisfied in this growing industry.
“Potawatomi Casino Hotel understands the need to deliver Return on Experience so the millions of visitors and guests that come through its doors receive such amazing interactions and memories that they post on social, tell their friends about it and come back for more,” Darren Student, Vice President Sales, Agilysys. “We can’t wait to see how this amazing property continues to grow as we move into a long-term partnership and the company invests in a comprehensive suite of Agilysys hospitality solutions that deliver greater guest and staff loyalty.”
About Potawatomi Hotel & Casino
Set in the heart of Milwaukee, Potawatomi Casino Hotel is Wisconsin’s premier entertainment destination, offering guests the best in gaming, dining and entertainment. The property features a 500-room, 19-story hotel, the second largest hotel in Milwaukee; a new sports betting operation; and more than 60,000 sq. feet of event space. In 2022 Potawatomi announced a $100 million renovation project of the casino’s third floor, which is scheduled to be complete in 2023. To discover more visit www.paysbig.com.
About Return on Experience (ROE)
When it comes to software, most resorts talk about return on investment (ROI). In hospitality, short-term ROI is table stakes. Return on Experience (ROE), provided through Agilysys software, ensures every experience at every touchpoint creates a champion – not a critic – for both guests and staff members alike. This way, guests do more, spend more and have a higher intent to return and recommend on Yelp, Trip Advisor and other popular platforms. Check out our 30-deep Experiencer Enhancers™ Collection, along with our venue-specific Hospitality Solutions™ designed to maximize your specific need.
About Agilysys
Agilysys is well known for its long heritage of hospitality-focused technology innovation. The Company delivers modular and integrated software solutions and expertise to businesses seeking to maximize Return on Experience (ROE) through hospitality encounters that are both personal and profitable. Over time, customers achieve High Return Hospitality by consistently delighting guests, retaining staff and growing margins. Customers around the world include: branded and independent hotels; multi-amenity resort properties; casinos; property, hotel and resort management companies; cruise lines; corporate dining providers; higher education campus dining providers; food service management companies; hospitals; lifestyle communities; senior living facilities; stadiums; and theme parks. The Agilysys Hospitality Cloud™ combines core operational systems for property management (PMS), point-of-sale (POS) and Inventory and Procurement (I&P) with Experience Enhancers™ that meaningfully improve interactions for guests and employees across dimensions such as digital access, mobile convenience, self-service control, personal choice, payment options, service coverage and real-time insights to improve decisions. Core solutions and Experience Enhancers are selectively combined in Hospitality Solution Studios™ tailored to specific hospitality settings and business needs.
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Travel Technology
Expedia Group | September 11, 2023
Expedia Group has launched the TAAP Autumn Sale, offering substantial savings to meet the rising demand for fall travel in 2023.
US travel advisors can provide travelers with 20% or more savings on global hotel bookings until September 24, 2023, making travel more affordable.
Expedia TAAP provides access to over three million properties, 200,000 activities, 175 car rental options, and 500 airlines. For streamlined booking and support, travel advisors can utilize tools like Virtual Agent and Live Agent Chat.
Expedia Group has launched the Expedia TAAP Autumn Sale, aimed at helping travel advisors meet the growing demand for fall/autumn travel in 2023 and boost bookings. This sale allows US travel advisors to provide travelers with 20% or more in savings on thousands of hotels worldwide for bookings until September 24, 2023. Travel under these offers is valid through March 31, 2023.
Expedia TAAP offers travel advisors an extensive inventory featuring over three million properties, 200,000 activities, 175 car rental options, and 500 airlines. It provides access to Expedia Group tools, including a Virtual Agent for quick assistance and a Live Agent Chat for more in-depth support, streamlining the booking process and enhancing the advisor's capabilities.
Travel advisors interested in the TAAP travel agent affiliate program can access comprehensive program details on how to become part of this extensive network on the official Expedia TAAP website. With the expansive range of resources available through Expedia TAAP, travel advisors can deliver exceptional service and options to their clients. Expedia Group's extensive family of brands, including Expedia, Hotels.com, Vrbo, Orbitz, and many others, ensures that travel advisors have a wide array of offerings to meet various travel needs and preferences.
Robin Lawther, Vice President of Expedia TAAP, mentioned,
"We are pleased to offer our advisors easy access to our travel offerings to help them drive more business.”
[Source – Travel Pulse]
Robin also mentioned that thousands of discounted properties are available for last-minute summer getaways, fall city trips, or early winter sun bookings. This gives travel advisors the flexibility to meet the needs of their travelers.
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Hospitality Management
prnewswire | July 18, 2023
AirDNA, a leading short-term rental (STR) data provider, announced today the acquisition of the pioneering location intelligence platform Arrivalist. This strategic acquisition marks an important milestone in AirDNA's commitment to elevating the standard of data-driven decision-making within the hospitality industry. AirDNA and Arrivalist will sit within predictis, a family of leading software-enabled data businesses. predictis is a portfolio company of Alpine Investors, a people-driven private equity firm that invests in software and services businesses.
"By welcoming Arrivalist to AirDNA, we're accelerating our growth trajectory and reinforcing our commitment to delivering industry-leading insights to our customers. The union of our powerful data platforms will provide businesses with unrivaled intelligence, empowering them to strategize with increased precision," said Demi Horvat, AirDNA's CEO.
AirDNA's acquisition of Arrivalist also marks a key next step in predictis' journey to build a world-class investment and operating platform for data founders and entrepreneurs. "AirDNA's acquisition of Arrivalist represents a blueprint for continued add-on acquisitions to supplement organic growth and capitalize on derived data opportunities from adjacent data sets," said Jean-Marc Levy, CEO of predictis.
Arrivalist pioneered the use of location data in the travel industry, using its patented technology to create bold insights into the way travelers interact with destinations. The company's Calibrated Data, Arrival Lift, and other proprietary technologies have won the trust of 200+ travel marketers in 46 of the 50 states since its inception in 2011.
In addition to the expanded insights gained, the acquisition unites two highly talented teams. AirDNA and Arrivalist both possess exceptional technical talent, including data scientists, data engineers, and account managers with deep industry expertise. The integration of these teams will propel the development of state-of-the-art solutions that meet the evolving needs of the industry.
"We're delighted to join with AirDNA to bring customers even more insights, resources, and innovative products. Bringing together these two powerhouses creates tremendous opportunities for future growth and continued innovation," commented Cree Lawson, CEO of Arrivalist. "This partnership with AirDNA and predictis will create unprecedented new value for our customers."
AirDNA and Arrivalist have already established themselves as integral players in guiding decisions for Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), hotels, and other customers. The acquisition is expected to bring customers access to a broader range of products and services, improved support and expertise, and enhanced innovation. Customers of both companies can expect a seamless transition during the integration process.
Cosine Group served as the financial advisor to Arrivalist.
About AirDNA
AirDNA is a global authority in short-term rental data, offering comprehensive insights and analytics to empower businesses in the short-term rental industry. AirDNA helps vacation rental hosts, managers, and investors make smarter decisions in any market or economic climate. For every short-term rental question, AirDNA has the answer.
About Arrivalist
Arrivalist is a leading location intelligence platform in the travel industry. The company uses mobile location datasets to provide actionable insights on consumer behavior, competitive share, media effectiveness, and market trends. Over 200 travel marketers, including 100 cities, 40 US states, and 4 of the top 10 US theme parks, use these insights to inform media strategy, operations, and destination development.
About predictis
predictis is Alpine Investors' data software business platform. It is the home for data founders and entrepreneurs who seek to scale their businesses as they set out to democratize data and unlock its transformative power. predictis is founded on the thesis that aggregating vertical software-enabled data businesses will unlock significant value for acquired businesses and generate above-average business results. predictis seeks to acquire, operate, and grow leading data software businesses across multiple industry verticals. Founders and data companies interested in learning more about partnering with predictis should contact James Reaney or Pat Eble at jreaney@alpineinvestors.com or peble@alpineinvestors.com. For more information, visit www.predictisdata.com.
About Alpine Investors
Alpine Investors is a people-driven private equity firm committed to building enduring companies by working with, learning from, and developing exceptional people. Alpine specializes in investments in the software and services industries. Alpine's PeopleFirst strategy includes a talent program that allows Alpine to bring leadership to situations where additional or new management is needed post-transaction. Alpine has over $15 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2023 and has three offices in San Francisco, New York, and Salt Lake City. For more information, visit www.alpineinvestors.com and https://www.alpineinvestors.com/terms-of-use/ for full disclaimers including, but not limited to, third-party reviews and Alpine Operations Group.
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