New Council Focuses on Future of Hospitality Technology
A group of senior-level industry leaders and related hospitality travel associations recently gathered at the Club Managers Association of America's (CMAA) headquarters in Alexandria, Va. to form a new council focused on the future of hospitality technology. The Hospitality Technology Strategic Initiatives Council (HTSIC) — spearheaded by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) and Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG) — addresses pressing industry needs as they relate to hospitality technology. The council works to identify industry initiatives, find the best possible homes for these initiatives and reduce duplicated efforts.
"Technological evolution is broad and wide-ranging, making it difficult to direct changes in a way that benefits the hospitality industry as a whole," said Frank Wolfe, CAE, CEO of HFTP. "The council hopes to consolidate efforts and feedback from multiple resources so that we can address these changes in an organized fashion that benefits the industry."
"The associations represented on the council rely entirely on voluntary contributions of time and expertise from our members," said Douglas Rice, CEO of HTNG. "Coordinating through the council will help us ensure that all of the associations can leverage each others' efforts, providing a greater ROI to the industry from our members' efforts, and with less duplication."
Council members include:
- American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA)
- American Resort Development Association (ARDA)
- Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP)
- Hospitality Information Technology Association (HITA)
- Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI)
- Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA)
- Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG)
- OpenTravel Alliance
For more information about the HTSIC, visit www.htsic.org. For more information about HITEC, visit www.hitec.org or contact the HFTP Meetings & Special Events Department at [email protected], (800) 646-4387 or +1 (512) 249-5333.
AH&LA is the sole national association representing all sectors and stakeholders in the lodging industry, including individual hotel property members, hotel companies, student and faculty members, and industry suppliers. AH&LA provides members with nation advocacy on Capitol Hill, public relations and image management, education, research and information, and other value-added services to provide bottom line savings and ensure a postive business climate for the lodging industry.
Founded in 1952, is the global professional association for financial and technology personnel working in hotels, clubs and other hospitality-related businesses. HFTP provides first class educational opportunities, research and publications to more than 4,800 members globally, including the premiere hospitality technology conference HITEC, founded in 1972. HFTP also awards the only hospitality specific certifications for accounting and technology — the Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive (CHAE) and the Certified Hospitality Technology Professional (CHTP) designations. HFTP was founded in the USA as the National Association of Hotel Accountants.
HITA members are in the forefront of hospitality technology development, computer innovators who use a varirty of tools to think and communicate clearly and to lead people effectivelyin hospitality technology issues. HITA's purpose is to advance the interaction between information technology educators, vendors, and users in the global hospitality industry, improving both the quality of education and the technology itself. A key objective is to foster the development and adoption of standards of best practice in the application of hospitality technology.
HSMAI is a global organization of sales and marketing professionals representing all segments of the hospitality industry. With a strong focus on education, HAMAI has become the industry champion in identifying and communication trends in the hosptiralty industry while operationg as a leading voice for both hospitality sales and marketing management disciplines, as well as connecting its members with customers. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is an individual membership organization comprised of nearly 7,000 members from 35 countries and chapters worldwide.
HEDNA is a global association focused on identifying electronic distribution opportunities and providing solutions for the lodging idustry and its distribution community. HEDNA is able to meet its objective through optimizing the use of current and emerging technologies; providing an open exchange of information among members and educating iductry members. HEDNA is a not-for-profit trade association whose worldwide membership includes executives and managers from influential companies in the hotel electronic distribution industry.
HTNG is a nonprofit trade association which, through collaboration and partnership between member hotels and technolgy vendors, fosters the development of next-generation systems and solutions that enable hoteliers and their technology suppliers to do busness globally. Governed by a board of directors consisting of top-level IT executives from hotel companies of all sizes, HTNG facilitates the development of technolgy models for hospitality that foster innovation, improves the guest experience, increases the effectiveness and effeciency of hotels, and creates a healthy ecosystem fo technology vendors.
OpenTravel's mission is to engineer specifications the make data transmission flow smoothly throughout travel, tourism and hospitality. OpenTravel creates, expands and drives adoption of open universal data specification, including but not limited to the use of XML, for the electronic exchange of business information among all sectors of the travel industry. With a diversified membership representing influential names in all sectors of the travel industry, OpenTravel is comprised of representatives from airlines, car rental firms, hotels, cruise lines, leisure suppliers, service providers, tour operators, travel agencies and trade associations.
Katy Walterscheidt
Communications Specialist
+1 (512) 249-5333 (Ext 27)
HFTP
