Making Tourism And Hospitality Work With High-Tech Software

Australia's tourism industry is vital to its economy, as it contributes 2.5% of the GDP which amounts to AU$35 billion. In 2010-11 it provided 8% of the nation's total export earnings after a record number of overseas arrivals (Wikipedia).

Its significance will only increase in the coming years. A growing middle class means more people take vacations, and one of the signs of a growing economy is that the number of people taking vacations gradually increases every year. After all, what better way to use their new found spending power than a nice relaxing holiday?

This is exactly the case in China, where a burgeoning economy and growing middle class means that the number of Chinese citizens vacationing abroad will have risen to an estimated 100 million per year by 2015. Australia will be a prime destination of choice.

Australian tourism organizations will want to take advantage of this phenomenon, and increased incorporation of information technology can help them do that. It's already made things easier for tourists, allowing them to plan and book their trips on the internet and research destinations through social media. It can also make things easier for the tourism industry, with business enterprise software enabling them to simplify and optimize their administrative processes.

Helping Small and Medium Enterprises

Small and medium enterprises make up a large proportion of the hospitality industry, think of bed and breakfasts, backpackers hostels, cafes, and small restaurants. Organizations that offer recreational activities such as bungee jumping and skydiving are also categorized as part of the tourism industry. A hospitality enterprise could be as small as one man offering canoe trips down a river.

ERP products, such as MYOB, specifically cater to the needs of small and medium enterprises, whatever industry they may be operating in. Hotels, large or small, have a lot of administration work. Stock, staff, guests, rooms ... they all need to be managed, and small and medium enterprises need to do so with limited resources at their disposal. ERP products provide the functionality to make such procedures simpler and more cost-efficient, taking some of the workload off the shoulders of staff and management.

Helping with Administration

Positively Wellington Tourism, a company that helps tourists obtain information and organize bookings for various tourist activities and accommodation throughout New Zealand, demonstrated the success that can be had with business enterprise software. They implemented MYOB EXO in their system, and, as a result, they were able to cut the amount of time required for administrative procedures by half.

MYOB products such as Retail Hospitality and Retail Manager have functions geared towards the management of tourism-related enterprises. An example is Retail Hospitality's specialized touch-screen table management technology, which provides a visual interface for managing tables at a bar, restaurant or hotel. All the tables at the establishment are mapped out, allowing the user to keep track of table numbers, orders and bills. They can merge tables or transfer bills between them with a few taps on the screen.

MYOB's retail software is designed to synchronize easily with its AccountRight and AccountEdge applications, so all the transactions being recorded at the front can immediately be transferred to the accounting software, which can then perform the backroom accounting procedures.

It brings to mind computer game management simulators,  like the Tycoon series, in the way it's able to provide the user with a bird's eye view of proceedings, allowing them to perform complex business process with a few clicks. Of course, Pizza Tycoon also allowed its players to blow up their competitors restaurants. It's unlikely that any business enterprise software products will incorporate such features any time soon.

Hospitality is a diverse and complex industry, one that is constantly moving at a fast pace. If only managing it could be as simple as playing a strategy game. With advancing information technology and the functionality of business enterprise software products such as MYOB, it may be heading in that direction.

Featured images:

•  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=hotel&ex=1#ai:MP900185035|

Matthew Flax writes for Now Learning, which promotes a range of TAFE courses, university degrees and short courses, such as MYOB software applications for accounting, throughout Australia.

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Analyzing The Difference Between DVD Player And Blu Ray Player Systems

We are increasingly encountering people who are interested in understanding the difference between DVD player and Blu Ray player systems. Admittedly, it is not easy to differentiate the two, going by appearances alone. That is because, in many ways, DVDs look like Blu Ray discs. Subsequently, the DVD players also, in many ways, look like the Blu Ray players. Matters are not made any easier by the fact that many of the companies that make and sell DVD players also make and sell Blu Ray players. And this relationship extends beyond the hardware aspect. That is because, at yet another level, the companies that make and sell Blu Ray player software are also, in many cases, the companies that make and sell the (typically embedded) DVD player software.

When all is said and done, in order to understand the difference between DVD player and Blu Ray player systems, you need to start by appreciating the differences between the DVDs and the Blu Ray discs. It turns out that those differences (briefly stated) are in terms of things like resolution of images, the underlying laser technology, the storage capacity and in terms of the physical construction of the discs. In almost all these aspects, Blu Ray discs are seen to be superior to DVDs. And that is hardly surprising, seeing that, in a way of speaking, Blu Ray discs are meant to upgrade DVDs.

Digging deeper, we come to learn that the differences between DVD and Blu Ray player systems are in terms of:

• The color of lasers used in reading media: in this regard, it emerges that Blu Ray player systems – as their name suggests use blue lasers to read the (Blu Ray disc) data, whereas DVD players use red lasers for the same purpose. Now there are major implications here. The implications are brought about by the differences in wavelength between blue and red. In terms of wavelengths, blue is substantially shorter than red. The shortness of the wavelength associated with the blue rays used in Blu Ray players means that such players are able to make more precise readings. This in turn means that the data in Blu Rays can be more closely packed. And that is ultimately what leads to the situation where Blu Ray discs that are just as big as DVDs carry substantially more data. Thus, contrary to what many of us imagine, the superiority of Blu Ray disc players is not, for the most part, attributable to Blu Ray player software. Rather, that superiority is attributable to the manner in which the Blu Ray players are built, at a physical level (though the software does play a very crucial role in bringing out that superiority).
• Versatility: in this regard, we have a situation where Blu Ray players are backward compatible (such that they can also play ordinary DVDs), whereas DVD players are not normally upward compatible (meaning that they can’t play Blu Ray discs). For the most part, this is a good thing. But it can present challenges in some scenarios. Let’s say, for instance that you want to play blu-ray on PC. And let’s say that, like most PCs in the market, your PC was made before the advent or widespread adoption of Blu Ray technology. In that case, you are likely to have read difficulties in your attempt to play blu-ray on PC.

Annabel Lee is a movie fanatic who loves watching her favorite movies using her prized possession - a Blu-ray player and HDTV. She has her own blu ray player software that can play blu-ray on pc.

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Video Mapping Techniques Using Projection Mapping Software

Projection mapping software is a complicated and wonderful creation. To put all of its complexity into a simple description, it basically makes anything into a canvas for light. The creative software can transform any surface into a 2D or 3D display for its dynamic and colourful projections. Buildings, structures, trees, fields, mountains; you name it, projection mapping can use it. As with any creative technology, it is such a versatile art form. It is now used all over the world by artists, advertisers, companies and cult fashions.

Projected From the Past

Projection mapping has recently become a sensation as technology has advanced enough to get the most out of its capabilities. Even though it only seems to have come to light in the last few years, one of its early uses in entertainment was back in 1969 as part of a Disneyland ride! Imagine how scary it would have been for visitors to see hanging heads that look like they have real faces on them! All just a trick of the light… Even though modern methods are the most 'advanced', they all come from these milestones of creativity from the past, and give us a great building block for great current techniques.

Forward a decade into 1980 and projection mapping emerged once again in the public limelight. An artist showed us a great technique which has inspired current methods and projection mapping software of today. Michael Naimark used optical illusion to make it look like projected people were interacting with a physical environment. He filmed them in a living room first, and then projected them into the room after they were gone. These techniques turned heads and really opened up the questions for future advancements with industry giants, artists, and individuals alike. What if?

Not Quite a Blank Canvas

Mapping projection software can seem a little confusing to start with, but in reality it's easy if you just pull out one of the keywords - mapping. Normally a projector knows and is programmed to hit a blank, flat, rectangular screen. With this type of technology, the projector needs a 'map' to know where its screen is. You need to tell it the kind of surface it's projecting onto so you can create the effects you want to. Let's look at extreme canvases, and exciting video mapping techniques that use them!

So the first part of using landscapes and buildings in this projection technique means you have to make a 3D replica of the projection surface. The more detailed and true to life it is, the better the final result. The next step is to design the video and light show that you want to use on your giant surface. Projection mapping software will do what it does best, using masking and x/y/z co-ordinates to know where the projector is in relation to the subject and create your masterpiece. This technique, using outdoor and large-scale surfaces like skyscrapers need projectors that pack a punch, so make sure you find something between 15,000 and 20,000 lumens for maximum effect!

Musical Mapping

Combining your visual light show with a musical soundtrack has been extremely popular. Any composer, film producer or artist will tell you that sound and music add incredible depth to a visual piece. Creating amazing optical illusions can be enhanced by a circus themed soundtrack, exciting adventure projections could have a rock track played to accompany climbers, divers, skiers or bikers that appear to be scaling the sides of local landmarks! You may even opt for an eerie creak or cackle, with a hint of orchestral suspense music to add to the scare factor in your Halloween special show!

Not only is the musical accompaniment technique great for video mapping, it also works the other way around. Sound is also enhanced by light, projection and video! DJs, gigs, dance clubs and festivals all use lasers, lights, projection and incredible 3D effects that are synchronised perfectly with their songs. An artist called Deadmau5 used projection mapping software to not only make his songs more entertaining with a visual accompaniment, he actually made it look like a giant building nearby was shaking and moving in time with the music. Make landmarks come to life and doors dance with this great video mapping technique.

Conclusion

This is epic technology still has so much left to show with more and more ways it can be developed and enhanced. Techniques with projection mapping software are as creative as trying new tricks with a paintbrush. It's important to see what other artists are doing, how they are experimenting and pushing the boundaries, but ultimately, your own style should shine through. See your music dance in front of you, 5 or 50 feet tall, make mountains move and buildings boogie. These techniques are just the beginning; where will the software take you?

Featured images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source 
•  License: Creative Commons image source 

Written by Nathan Griffiths who is interested in video mapping techniques.

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How To Stop Blogspot Redirection To Local Domain Extensions?

Since Blogger has started redirecting the blogspot extension to it's local extension based on countries it has started frustrating the blog lovers. The key reason is most of the bloggers having google adsense in their blogspot as a revenue program need to add each extension in their google adsense account to authorise them to earn revenue from their blogspot. Otherwsie they will loose revenue from that extension. This has created a situation where he has to add more than 100s of blog links to authorize them.

Why blogger has started this service I have no clue over it, but if you think another point of view, this is also a good looking and remarkable step by blogger by making it country specific to know the popularity and visitor loving extensions having their country related extensions in it which will let them memorise the url easily.

Anyway, you are here to know the code to stop redirection not all the bullshit I am explaining to you.

Here is the code for it:

<script type="text/javascript"> var str= window.location.href.toString(); if ((str.indexOf('.com/'))=='-1') { var str1=str.substring(str.lastIndexOf(".blogspot.")); if (str1.indexOf('/')=='-1') { var str2=str1; } else { var str2=str1.substring(0,str1.indexOf('/')+1); } window.location.href =window.location.href.toString().replace(str2,'.blogspot.com/ncr/'); } </script>

Copy the code and paste it just below <head> tag of blogger.

Hope you know how to find the <head> tag in your blogger account. If do not know Click Here.
 

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