Role of Technology and Internet in Present Day Hotel Industry

Technology impacts and assists the growth of practically every industry in the present age. Hotel industry too isn’t insulated from its effects. With local and international hotel establishments working overtime to tap into the power of internet, in order to catalyze their sales and to improve customer relations, it is only evident how internet is playing a key role in development of hotel industry today. Social networking portals like Facebook, Twitter etc. are increasingly playing a dominant role in strategies of hotels all over. User generated feedback’ and reviews on such websites play a huge role in popularizing the services of hotels by word of mouth. Further, it also becomes easier to stay in touch with and maintain relationships with ex-clients by making use of online tools.

Several other types of websites are working round the clock to bring travel related products and services closer to end-user, either by way of making them available on the clients’ desktops or via the exponentially rising number of mobile phone internet users.

4 Ways Cloud Computing Benefits the Hospitality Industry

Cloud computing can be very beneficial for all kinds of businesses, including hotels. By implementing a cloud computing solution, you can give yourself a competitive advantage and make your life easier at work.

And that’s not all! Here are 4 more ways cloud computing benefits the hotel industry.

Ø  Cloud Computing Helps Hotels Cut Costs

With cloud computing, you only pay for what you need. That means that your upfront costs are low because you only pay for the cloud storage and computing power that your hotel needs.

You also cut hardware costs, energy costs, and operational costs with the cloud. Your need for excessive hardware in your hotel is reduced and, as a result, you won’t burn throughout as much electricity. The cloud also cuts project time, which results in cut costs and higher productivity.

Ø  Cloud Computing Solutions Are Reliable And Secure

With the cloud, you store your data securely and remotely instead of in an on-site physical location. That way, you don’t have to worry about losing all of your data if a natural disaster or security breach occurs at your location.

Ø  Cloud Computing Gives You flexibility To Work Remotely

Ever wondered what it would be like to work remotely?

With cloud computing, you can find out! The cloud gives you the flexibility to work from anywhere. All you need is an internet connection and a device, like a computer, tablet, or mobile phone. Then, you can access all of your critical business application from anywhere.

The whole world is your office, and you can work remotely without having to sacrifice productivity!

Ø  Cloud Computing Helps You Improve The Guest Experience

With cloud computing, you can improve staff collaboration immensely. So, if your guests need assistance, your staff can be more responsive in a quicker and more efficient way. Not only that – cloud computing helps reduce downtime. That way, you and your staff can keep your guests happy and keep them coming back to your hotel in the future.

References:

http://www.limottait.com/4-ways-cloud-computing-benefits-hospitality-industry/

http://www.hotelogix.com/blog/2011/09/08/role-of-technology-and-internet-in-present-day-hotel-industry/

Anuja Sharma

Faculty, AISSMS College of HMCT, Pune

CULINARY CHEF BECOMING ARTIST??

Eating is an indispensable human activity. This drive humans to do lots of research, revolution in agriculture and food making.  In every era, the unfolding of history has been intimately tied to the need for food, the production of food, and the culture of food. In all major religions, food choice has been an integral part of religious identity.

In modern era chef are paying more attention on dish visual appeal, & going towards becoming food artist. People eat with their eyes. In the culinary world as "plating," inspires professional chefs to create what they think of as "edible art." Treat the plate as one unified "canvas," keeping in mind the balance of the composition, the colors, the flow, the patterns, or lines.

Some of the tips to make artistic plating –

v  Imagine the final look of the plate.

v  Work on trimming the volumes to make a great food presentation.

v  Drain the food from its sauce before setting up the styled plate.

v  Work on the height or width of the plate styling.

v  Small is smart.

v  Using plates that have a small basin for holding food but a large rim makes the serving bigger.

v  Drizzle sauce on the rim to visually expand the portion.

v  Fan of slice meat look attractive, make the portion appear large and cover the plate.

v  Mix and match your dinnerware -- square or triangular dishes can help fool the eye and create visual interest on your table.

v  Creating interesting name of dishes. Example- a  child layer cake can called LLK(lazy layer cake)

v  Using cooking science, illusion, natural gums and hydrocolloids. 

We can conclude that Food styling, presentation is now days becoming vital part of culinary industry.

Reference:

www.theguardian.com

Mr. Shailendra Darekar

Faculty

AISSMS College of HMCT, Pune

MEDITATION

In our search of happiness, we invariably turn to external objects and events for satisfaction. We think, “if I can just have that car”, or “if I were just able to get that job”, or “if only lost some weight”, then I would be HAPPY.” The mind may be stilled and at peace for a short time on attaining the desired objects, but eventually it tries of its new toy and seeks pleasure elsewhere. External objects fail to bring happiness. One may acquire new material possessions, a position with more responsibility, but there always remains the same mind.

Contentment is derived from the approach and attitude toward the external world, not form the objects themselves. Every person passes through easier and more difficult periods in his life.  When the obstacles in life are confronted with serene mind, then one lives more happily

  The challenge, then, is to gain control of the internal world. The mind is constantly conversing with itself- replaying past, future, discussing the pros and cons of this and that.

Our mind is constantly either in an event that happened in the past or fantasying or developing fear of future.  Thinking of the same event over and over again dramatizing it in the mind.

How to stop these thoughts, fear, anxieties and desire to stop popping in the mind.  When we slow down our mind, we can start to control it, we start to control it we master the mind.

As it is said “mind is very bad master however a very good servant”

Mind control happens with practise, just the way a wild horse is to control. Practise and discipline is the key to it.

Guide to meditation

The following are practical points regarding the basic techniques and stages of meditation. They are primarily intended for the beginner, although even the most experienced meditator will find a review of them useful.

1) Regularity of the time, place and practice are most important. Regularity conditions the mind to slow down its activities with a minimum of delay.

2) Most effective times are dawn and dusk. The preferred time is brahmanuhurta, the hours between four and six a.m.

3) Try to have a separate room for meditation. If not possible, screen off a portion of a room.

4) When sitting, face north or east in order to take advantage of the favourable magnetic vibrations.

5) Back strength, hands in chin mudra, shoulders relaxed, try to from a triangle with the body so that the gravity acts less in the body.

6) Consciously, regulate the breath, start with 5min of deep breathing and then into a rhythmic breath

7) Allow the mind to wander at first. It will jump around but will eventually become concentrate, along with the concentration of prana.

 Benefits of mediation:

Physiological benefits:
1- It lowers oxygen consumption.
2- It decreases respiratory rate.
3- It increases blood flow and slows the heart rate.
4- Increases exercise tolerance.
5- Leads to a deeper level of physical relaxation.
6- Good for people with high blood pressure.
7- Reduces anxiety attacks by lowering the levels of blood lactate.
8- Decreases muscle tension
9- Helps in chronic diseases like allergies, arthritis etc.
10- Reduces Pre-menstrual Syndrome symptoms.
11- Helps in post-operative healing.
12- Enhances the immune system.
13- Reduces activity of viruses and emotional distress
14- Enhances energy, strength and vigour.
15- Helps with weight loss
16- Reduction of free radicals, less tissue damage
17- Higher skin resistance
18- Drop in cholesterol levels, lowers risk of cardiovascular disease.
19- Improved flow of air to the lungs resulting in easier breathing.
20- Decreases the aging process.
21- Higher levels of DHEAS (Dehydroepiandrosterone)
22- prevented, slowed or controlled pain of chronic diseases
23- Makes you sweat less
24- Cure headaches & migraines
25- Greater Orderliness of Brain Functioning
26- Reduced Need for Medical Care
27- Less energy wasted
28- More inclined to sports, activities
29- Significant relief from asthma
30- improved performance in athletic events
31- Normalizes to your ideal weight
32- harmonizes our endocrine system
33- relaxes our nervous system
34- produce lasting beneficial changes in brain electrical activity
35- Cure infertility (the stresses of infertility can interfere with the release of hormones that regulate ovulation).
36- Helps in building sexual energy & desire
Psychological benefits:
36- Builds self-confidence.
37- Increases serotonin level, influences mood and behaviour.
38- Resolve phobias & fears
39- Helps control own thoughts
40- Helps with focus & concentration
41- Increase creativity
42- Increased brain wave coherence.
43- Improved learning ability and memory.
44- Increased feelings of vitality and rejuvenation.
45- Increased emotional stability.
46- improved relationships
47- Mind ages at slower rate
48- Easier to remove bad habits
49- Develops intuition
50- Increased Productivity
51- Improved relations at home & at work
52- Able to see the larger picture in a given situation
53- Helps ignore petty issues
54- Increased ability to solve complex problems
55- Purifies your character
56- Develop will power
57- greater communication between the two brain hemispheres
58- react more quickly and more effectively to a stressful event.
59- increases one’s perceptual ability and motor performance
60- higher intelligence growth rate
61- Increased job satisfaction
62- increase in the capacity for intimate contact with loved ones
63- decrease in potential mental illness
64- Better, more sociable behaviour
65- Less aggressiveness
66- Helps in quitting smoking, alcohol addiction
67- Reduces need and dependency on drugs, pills & pharmaceuticals
68- Need less sleep to recover from sleep deprivation
69- Require less time to fall asleep, helps cure insomnia
70- Increases sense of responsibility
71- Reduces road rage
72- Decrease in restless thinking
73- Decreased tendency to worry
74- Increases listening skills and empathy
75- Helps make more accurate judgements
76- Greater tolerance
77- Gives composure to act in considered & constructive ways
78- Grows a stable, more balanced personality
79- Develops emotional maturity
Spiritual benefits:
80- Helps keep things in perspective
81- Provides peace of mind, happiness
82- Helps you discover your purpose
83- Increased self-actualization.
84- Increased compassion
85- Growing wisdom
86- Deeper understanding of yourself and others
87- Brings body, mind, spirit in harmony
88- Deeper Level of spiritual relaxation
89- Increased acceptance of oneself
90- helps learn forgiveness
91- Changes attitude toward life
92- Creates a deeper relationship with your God
93- Attain enlightenment
94- greater inner-directedness
95- Helps living in the present moment
96- Creates a widening, deepening capacity for love
97- Discovery of the power and consciousness beyond the ego
98- Experience an inner sense of “Assurance or Knowingness”
99- Experience a sense of “Oneness”
100- Increases the synchronicity in your life
Meditation is also completely FREE! It requires no special equipment, and is not complicated to learn. It can be practiced anywhere, at any given moment, and it is not time consuming (15-20 min. per day is good). Best of all, meditation has NO negative side effects. Bottom line, there is nothing but positive to be gained from it! With such a huge list of benefits, the question you should ask yourself is, “why am I not meditating yet?”
Turn inward your intuition always tell you what is correct and what might be dangerous, develop this intuition stronger by mediation.
Happy meditation!!!
Reference: Meditation book by---------- Swami Vishnu-Devananda, benefits from http://www.ineedmotivation.com/blog/2008/05/100-benefits-of-meditation/

By:

Renuka Shinde

Faculty

AISSMS College of HMCT, Pune

Love for Food

Hi readers … Have never confessed this.. but as far as I remember, from the time I was a podgy kid to very self-conscious (of my weight!!) teen to being an HM student, professional and now an full fledged faculty …one thing that has been constant {not the weighing scale .. dud} …. is me - a self-confessed full-on “foodie”.

As they say, some eat to live. I border towards the lot who live to eat. Yes. It is true. Though not very proud of it – but a fact nonetheless. I simply love food. I find cooking therapeutic (and for me, cooking does not involve baking, which in my opinion is less of judgment and more of a science – and am so science-challenged!!). Anyways, I have always loved being around food. During my food deprived teens {have been off butter from when I can remember... and please do not judge me here ;) }. I started indulging family, relatives and friends with yummy treats. Truth be told - I indulge {ya… ok .. over - indulge} in food, which like money and shopping is never done with.  I am not much of a saint when it comes to food, and am happy exploring new cuisines and foods. The weirdest ice cream flavours and never-tried before meat never fails to excite me. Safe foods are boring.  They are mundane and predictable. Oh, to correct myself here – I do dig every day food too. Ghar ka khana, maa ke haath ka khana, dal-roti, varan bhaat, rajma chawal and all those yummy staple growing up foods constitute  who I am and if deprived of home-goodness for more than a couple days, crave for them terribly. So for all the times that I need a comfort stroke, turn to food– a piping hot khichdi with aam-ka-achar (also chocolate, any meetha for that matter) never lets me down!

For us Indians, food is an important part of our social lives. Birthdays, friends, festivals, get togethers, so much so that even travel – food is the centre of all our plans. So given that, I think about food a great deal.  

I am sure that a few of you to say the least, can relate to a few of my thoughts. If you do, I invite you to pen down your thoughts on food – anything.. ranging from what you love, most memorable meal, your food wish list.. or anything. Also, since Pune is burgeoning with so many eating places .. lets also start a Food Lovers’ Club, right here online .. let’s have restaurant reviews rolling (overly critical is good than paid reviews we get to read.. wotsay). So ciao and awaiting to posts from you all. 

Prof. Arti Prabhu

5 Myths about Hotel Management

Hello friends!

Been the student of Hotel management and now being the faculty, I’ve experienced quite surprising reactions, comments by people regarding career option of ‘Hotel management’. And trust me I got an opportunity to prove them wrong and now it’s your turn.

The Hospitality industry is a hot career option for students. However, there are a few misconceptions about the career that students should be aware of before or even after taking a course in Hotel Management.

MYTH #1: It’s all about cooking and drinking

Reality: Hotel Management is not about enjoying food and having fun. It’s a serious business wherein experts from hotel industry teach the culinary part of food and beverage industry.

MYTH #2: It is open for only those students who are not good in academics

Reality: Academics have nothing to do when it comes to choosing hotel management as a career option. Instead it totally depends upon an individual’s choice of interest. In addition, students are admitted on the basis of entrance exam that are quite competitive. The course curriculum has right balance of theory as well as practical demonstration/performance.

MYTH #3: One has to start from low grade jobs

Reality: Hotel Management work life begins with basic job that takes an individual closer to guests and customers which enables to experience real job situation and prepares to handle tougher situation in coming future.

MYTH #4: Growth is less in this field

Reality: This is entirely false as this field is one of the fastest growing industries in India since people are spending more money on food industry.

MYTH #5: Opportunities are very few in hotel management

Reality: The truth is lot of opportunities are available in this field like airlines, travel and tourism, restaurants, railway catering, private/ public sector and so on. 

I’m sure there would be more myths than these 5 and so it will take time for people to understand and eradicate these myths.

http://www.prepsure.com/news/5-myths-about-hotel-management-careers/

http://hospitalitytechnology.edgl.com/news/Three-More--Busted--Revenue-Management-Myths54936

Dhananjay Kshirsagar

Facilities for Women

Facilities for the Single Lady Traveler (SLT) in Hotels

With globalization, women got through the glass ceiling and are making their presence felt in boardrooms. The initiative of  having only Women`s Floor in Hotel holds importance as the needs for a single lady traveler differ from the regular customers. When rooms are allotted by the front desk staff to the single lady guest, special confidentiality is maintained. Security is the main concern for these customers, so most of the hotels have free pick-up and drop services from the airport. When entire floors are dedicated to women customers in the hotel, entry is allowed only through swiping the card in the elevator to direct it to the women's floor and others do not have access to it. The floor is guarded by women security guards, service is given only by female staff, rooms are allotted near to the elevator for easy access, video phones are placed in the rooms to check the identity of the person seeking entry into the guest room and the screening of telephone calls is done at the desk. The guest rooms have feminine needs like full-length mirrors, makeup mirrors, skirt hangers, appropriate sized bath robes for females, and an assortment of extra organic cosmetics.

 The SLT is pampered by service of a cocktail and hors d'oeuvres in the room in the evenings. The mini bar in the rooms has champagne and smoothies instead of beer in the rooms. The hotel staff help the lady customers to drape the perfect sari and many hotels do the stitching of blouses in a day`s time for their customers for special occasions. The hotel has a 'Dial a Chef' programme where a lady guest can ask for a special diet meal, according to her preference. The restaurant has the “Business Women's Networking Table” for those touring alone. It also has a

special lounge where female guests can unwind after a long day's work. The hotel has a private women-only fitness room with lady trainers at convenient timings. .

The foreign guests are offered cultural experiences through complimentary yoga and cookery sessions.

Surely the lady guest is the special attention guest in the hotel.  A woman would definitely feel safer and secure in such hotels and, in a way will encourage more independence among working women.

Rasika Gumaste

Mind Body Soul

Mind Body Soul

Hi reader! I am glad that you chanced to glance upon this article, and hope you have a good read.

Health, as understood by all of us, is the state of well being and fitness. It is well being of the body and mind. As the adage goes “Health is Wealth.” I take the liberty to generalize and say, that most of us take our health for granted. Which means, we do not take care of ourselves? We are fit by default, and only when we are unwell that we do something about it. Servicing is not only for our bikes and gadgets, but it is utmost important to take care of ourselves, irrespective of any constraints we may face as part of our daily lives. To identify and honor our body’s needs, being sensitive to ourselves and unhesitantly taking instant help – is what we owe to ourselves and our loved ones.

If we are not feeling well physically – the problem is easy to detect, we go to the doctor and administer medication. But what when we are not feeling fine in our minds. Does that not happen? It does. To all of us. At different times. Perhaps manifested in different ways.

Everyone feels anxious, worried or stressed out sometimes and life can seem overwhelming. It's easy to see why when we think about all the pressures that are heaped upon us: society, family, work... where does it all end?

The different manifestations of these symptoms are termed mental illness. Mental illnesses are no different to any other illnesses - they have a biological basis. In the same way as cancers develop as a result of both external and internal factors, so too do mental illnesses.

The important question then is – Why do we not seek immediate help, or acknowledge the fact that we need help. One of the most common reasons is the social “stigma” that a mental illness attracts. Having spent most part of my childhood in Delhi, all South Indians are called “Madrasi”, similarly we tend to call all people with mental illness as “pagal”. It is ignorant and insensitive on our part, and this stigma is a major deterrent to seek help.

It contributes to delays in seeking care, impedes timely diagnosis and treatment for mental disorders, serves as an impediment to recovery and rehabilitation, and ultimately reduces the opportunity for fuller participation in life.

Like any other physical ailment – like a headache, fever – the condition does not treat itself, but if not dealt with, aggravates with time and creates an internal imbalance. This manifests in terms of psychological conditions.

We must, therefore, know how we are feeling, in body and in mind. Alcohol, cigarettes or a chocolate cake are a quick fix in our weak periods, but add to the problem than tackling it. Instead we must aspire to lead a healthy and wholesome life - full of people who support us, and activities that rejuvenate us. Any time we feel the slightest discomfort, we must not hesitate to seek expert attention. And why not!

http://www.phfi.org/our-activities/research-a-centres/centres-of-excellence/869-centre-for-mental-health

http://inthealth.oxfordjournals.org/content/5/1/6.abstract

http://www.thebanyan.org/html/mentalillness.html

By: Arati Prabhu