European Reception for Members and Prospects

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European Receptionfor Members and Prospects

• 05 October 2005
• The Dorchester Hotel, London
• Hosted by

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Thank you to tonights host!
DORCHESTERGROUP HOTELS
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What is HTNG?

• Hotels, technology vendors, and other interested
  parties
• Hotels define business problems needing
  technology solutions
• Vendors create and implement solutions
• Most activities relate to interoperability and
  shared infrastructure
• Pragmatic, solution-oriented approach
• Standards are good but are not the objective

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What is HTNG?

• 250 members
• Governed by a board of CIOs and CTOs (IT
  Directors) representing diverse hotel companies
• Nine in total four are here tonight
• President Nick Price, Mandarin Oriental
• Vice President Barry Shuler, Marriott
  International
• Director Luke Mellors, Dorchester Group Hotels
• Director Bryan Steele, Thistle Hotels
• Others Four Seasons, Hyatt, Marcus, MGM Mirage,
  Outrigger
• Managed by Executive Director, Douglas Rice
• European Coordinator, Guilain Denisselle

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Why was HTNG created?

• Hotels deal with scores of technology systems
• Only a few of them were designed for hotels!
• Guests and staff need the systems to work
  together
• Hotel systems, e.g. PMS, POS, sales catering
• Telephony systems
• Entertainment systems
• Building control systems
• Distribution systems
• Administrative, financial control systems
• Customer relationship management systems
• Human resource systems
• ...

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How does HTNG work?

• Focused workgroups
• Address a specific problem set based on a formal
  written charter
• Hotels prioritize needs vendors work together to
  develop solutions over 9-18 months
• Objective is solution sets systems that work
  together
• Example
• Entertainment system telephone system
  building control system internet
  access system property management
  system integrated guestroom technology

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Benefits of Membership

• For hotels
• Opportunity to define solutions with their
  preferred vendors
• Roadmaps for capital investments, e.g. converged
  networks
• Leverages both product suites and best-of-breed
  software by helping them work with everything
  else
• Enables common, network-based support of multiple
  systems by a single party (corporate or vendor)
• Easier to manage diverse systems without
  customisation
• Access to database of certified products
  (starting early 2006)
• For vendors
• Opportunity for leadership role in
  next-generation systems
• Access to thought-leader customers at a senior
  level
• Reduced costs for interface development and
  support
• Product certification (early 2006)

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HTNG European Initiatives

• Substantial interest among European hotels and
  tech vendors
• 42 HTNG members are headquartered in Europe
• Just 16 months ago, this was our GLOBAL member
  count
• 2005/06 priorities grow European base of
• Members
• Activities
• Events
• Member benefits

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Europe Activities Under Development

• First Europe-based workgroup
• Focus on rich content management
• Connect the production, review, approval,
  digitisation, storage, forwarding, distribution
  of descriptive and promotional material
• Multi-lingual text
• Photographs
• Videos
• Maps
• Produce it once, deliver it in the right format
  to every distribution channel that needs it

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Europe Activities Under Development

• Trade Shows
• In the US, the annual HITEC show has been a major
  event for HTNG vendors
• No comparable show exists in Europe
• HTNG will be working with an existing show and
  will seek to create a credible venue
• Interoperability demonstrations featuring
  European vendors
• Thought leadership conference

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Europe ActivitiesUnder Development

• Expanded visibility to engage more hotel members
• Recruiting a Continent-based director
• Tonights reception and dinner
• European trade press initiative
• European conference speaking engagements

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Thank You!