Session 11: Meeting and Technology Links

Virtual Meetings by Marriott, AT&T and Cisco (Telepresence Studios)

Web Conferencing by Cisco WebEX

Audience Response Systems by Turning Technologies

Standard Event Planning Forms and Templates from Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX) Initiative

Session 10: Links to Explore

Activity Management System integrated with PMS

PMS offered via SaaS model (Software-as-a-Service)- click on Demo under MyPMS

MaitreD Restaurant Management System (click on "MaitreD' Flash Demo" under "Other Resources")

APEX Meetings and Events Industry-Wide Accepted Practices and Document Templates

Major Assignment Submission

Some students have reported problems when uploading their major assignment (Part 1 and 2) to SOUL.

If you are receiving an error message saying your file size is over the size limit of 97.7 KB, you may submit your assignment via e-mail to me first.

In your e-mail, include the following:

Subject:
I.T. in Hosp and Tourism Operations Major Assignment Submission

Body:
Your name, ID number, and no. of files being submitted

Attachments:
Your file(s)

Session 8: Electronic Distribution for Airlines and Hotels

Please visit these links to find out more about technology options available to hotels who wish to sell and market their properties electronically.

1. MyFidelio.net (there are two online demos available for connecting hotels to travel agencies and connecting hotels to a web site)
2. Siteminder Channel Manager (online tour available)
3. Siteminder Booking Button (web booking engine that can be included on a hotel's web site)

Visiting all your Blogs by the end of this Week !

I've started reading the blogs and just want to thank everyone for sharing their recommendations. I've lived in Hong Kong for 10 years now but I still feel like a tourist, so I've been enjoying all your sharing on new places to go, eat and shop from your blogs. Keep them coming !

To those who haven't posted yet, there may be a penalty for your late submission. According to the assignment requirements, you should have at least two posts by 31-August. Please talk to me in case you need a few days' extension.

HK Tourist Recommendations from Lee Lai-Shan

Olympic gold medallist Lee Lai Shan recommends that tourists visit Kwun Yam Beach on Cheung Chau, where she was born and raised.

(photo source: http://www.lovehaya.com/travel_guide/superlatives-our_people_our_pride.htm)

"Tourists can rent canoes or windsurfing boards to venture out to sea. They can appreciate the Mini Great Wall and some weathered rocks from another angle," she said. The Mini Great Wall is a headland walking track modelled on the original. She also recommends a visit to adjacent Tung Wan beach, not just for the swimming but the view.



(photo source: http://www.hongkongextras.com/_beaches_outlying_islands.html)

She is one of a number of islanders who have contributed their personal recommendations for tourist attractions in a new guidebook that will be available for free at ferry piers (Chinese version is already out now, while English version will be out in mid-September).

GETTING THERE – Ferry from Central Pier 5 to Cheung Chau. From Cheung Chau Ferry Pier just beyond Circle K convenience store follow Tung Wan Road (not the street along the harbourside) across the narrow central part of the island to Tung Wan Beach (about 5 minutes walk).

Kwun Yam Wan Beach is immediately beyond the Warwick Hotel and helicopter landing pad (about 2 minutes walk from the southern end of Tung Wan Beach).

(sourced from: The South China Morning Post)

MS ACCESS Exercise 3: Demo Video of Creating an Event Attendance List (Part 3)

We will use Report Wizard and Report Design to create a report that shows all events by Hibernian Event Management, and the attendees for each event.

Here's the third part of the exercise:

MS ACCESS Exercise 3: Demo Video of Creating an Event Attendance List (Part 2)

We will use Report Wizard and Report Design to create a report that shows all events by Hibernian Event Management, and the attendees for each event.

Here's the second part of the exercise:

MS ACCESS Exercise 3: Demo Video of Creating an Event Attendance List (Part 1)

We will use Report Wizard and Report Design to create a report that shows all events by Hibernian Event Management, and the attendees for each event.

Here's the first part of the exercise:

MS ACCESS Exercise 2: Demo Video of Creating an Attendee Registration Query

We will use Query Design to create a query that asks for the attendee's Last Name, then shows all event registrations by that attendee.

Reminder to Submit Your Blog Address and Title by 12-August

Remember to sign up for a blog on Blogger.com and email your blog address and title to me by 12-August.

Here's an example of a blog promoting tourism in the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. It is written by the winner of the Best Job in the World competition.

MS ACCESS Exercise 1: Demo Video of Creating an Attendee List

Powerpoint Homework Exercise Due

Today is the due date for your Powerpoint homework exercise. Cut-off time will be 11:59 p.m. tonight.

Please sign and return an assignment submission form (to be distributed in class today). All submissions should be done online via the SOUL platform (http://www.soul.hkuspace.org).

If you are not able to attend class today, you can still submit the assignment online and sign the submission form the next time you attend class.

Ex4-4 Pivot Table Video Demonstration

Ex4-3 Pivot Table Video Demonstration

Ex4-2 Pivot Table Video Demonstration

There's a correction in this exercise - please rename the "Units Sold" column as "Units Bought" since the report is being produced for the purchasing department of Hibernian Hotel.

Ex4-1 Pivot Table Video Demonstration

Powerpoint Tips

Guidelines for selecting font sizes for your text:

1. Title font should be 28 to 32 point or larger.
2. Level-1 bullet points and other body text should be 18 to 24 point or larger.
3. Lower level bullet points should be 2 to 4 sizes smaller than the main text font, around 18 to 22 point.
4. Secondary items such as chart axis labels or sources should be smaller but readable, around 16 point.
5. Once you choose your font sizes, keep them consistent throughout the presentation.
   

Guidelines for selecting fonts for your text:

1. Choose sans-serif fonts like Verdana and Arial as these fonts are the most readable onscreen.
2. Choose italics for subtitles only, but do not use them for extended text.
3. Use sentence case rather than ALL CAPS for your text.

Guidelines for choosing background colors:

1. Use a solid color. Avoid using patterns, textures or graphics in your slides.
2. Pick a dark cool color (blue, green, purple) or an off-white color (beige, taupe, light sage, light grey/blue, cream).
3. For best visiblity, your background colors and text colors must contrast sharply. You have two general choices: dark background with light text, or off-white background with dark text.

Here's a link to color definitions with their hexadecimal and RGB codes.

500+Colors

Guestroom 20X

Guestroom20X is an exhibit shown in the annual HITEC conference. the world's largest hospitality technology conference.

Guestroom20X showcases new and upcoming technologies for the modern hotel room. You can find out more about these new hotel technologies at:

Guestroom 20x Web Site

Guestroom 20x Photo Gallery

Vote for your Favorite Smartphone App

Mobile apps or lightweight software running on mobile devices are another popular software trend nowadays.

The Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association is running a poll where Hong Kong residents can vote for their favorite smartphone apps.

You can place your votes at: http://www.e-zone.com.hk/smartphoneapp/voting.html

Welcome to our Class !

In our first class, we went over the following materials:

1. Unit Outline and Course Aims
   
2. Session 1 lecture note
3. Homework Exercise (due 27-July)
   
4. Session 1 Tutorial exercise

Whether One of the important software trends is the rise of Software-as-a-Service, also known as SaaS for short. Here are some examples of software which can now be accessed as an online service thru the Web browser. Most of these examples happen to be free for personal use, so check them out in case they might be useful to you.

1. Photoshop Express (from menu, select "Online Tools" > "Photoshop Express Editor")
2. Microsoft Office Web Apps
3. Zoho Business and Productivity Apps