The group concluded that the hotel industry is fundamentally dissatisfied with the effectiveness of current technology options and their preparedness to address future business needs. The primary causes of this dissatisfaction were: 

• lack of effective inter-vendor cooperation and systems integration
• drawbacks in the current technology financing process 
• poor adoption of modern technologies.  

The HTNG initiative aims to define a new approach that will facilitate the development of next-generation, customer-centric systems that will better meet the needs of the global hotel community. Commencing with the development of specific architectural and business guidelines, HTNG will work to promote closer vendor working relationships, system interoperability, and the development of new service-delivery models.  

HTNG has produced a white paper, "A Path to Achieving Next-Generation Technology for the Hotel Industry," available by e-mail, that details the group's analysis and recommendations, including a set of proposed guidelines.  It has also launched a campaign that will, starting at HITEC, seek to determine the level of support among industry participants, and to obtain feedback on its initial findings.

"The objective of Hotel Technology - Next Generation initiative is to respond to the technology needs of the hotel industry," says Jim Yoakum, a member of the HFTP Technology Hall of Fame and former Chief Information Officer of Marriott International and later, Choice Hotels International.  "Hopefully, it will lead toward establishing inter-vendor cooperation and systems integration, creating a much-needed customer-centric platform within our industry."

The multi-national, multi-disciplinary group consists of:

• John Burns, President, Hospitality Technology Consulting, Scottsdale, AZ
• Dan Connolly, Assistant Professor, School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado
• Janis Hall, General Manager/Strategic IT, Voyages Hotels & Resorts, Sydney, Australia
• Ted Horner, Managing Director, E. Horner & Associates Pty Ltd, Sydney, Australia
• Jon Inge, President, Jon Inge & Associates, Seattle, WA
• Nick Price, Director of Technology, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Hong Kong
• Doug Rice, President, Stratus Management Group, Inc., Chicago, IL
• Mac Smith, Managing Consultant, Plexus Consulting, Newport, Wales, UK (formerly Vice President, Information Technology, Hilton International)
• Alan White, VP Operations Information Technology, Outrigger Enterprises, Inc., Honolulu, Hawaii (formerly Senior Vice President-Development and Senior Vice President-ASP Services, RezSolutions/Pegasus Solutions)

About Hotel Technology - Next Generation

Launched by nine prominent hotel technology industry leaders during a two-day meeting held prior to HITEC 2002, Hotel Technology - Next Generation (HTNG), aims to define a new approach to providing systems and technology services at the property, brand, management company and ownership levels. HTNG aims to facilitate the development of next-generation, customer-centric systems that will better meet the needs of the global hotel community.  Commencing with the development of specific architectural and business guidelines, HTNG will work to promote closer vendor working relationships, system interoperability, and the development of new service-delivery models.