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Editorial

by Alistair R.B. Forbes, CEO


It's New Year Again

Alistair R.B. Forbes, CEOThis is the time of year when we review our bad habits and put reforms and corrective actions in place, not January 1st. What I mean is, that it’s business planning and strategy review time, as the New Year begins on April 1st. We all review the past, as that determines where we are now, and we think about what’s going to happen in the near and distant future.

I recently visited the IHIF (International Hotel Investment Forum) in Berlin to try and get some insight into the future, bearing in mind the “credit crunch”. On asking many knowledgeable sorts from the financial world, “What’s going to happen and when will it all end?”, I got pretty consistent answers. “Not really sure but I don’t think it will affect me!”

So, although nothing is more demoralising and ultimately useless than setting unachievable plans, I think I will follow the optimism of my Berlin colleagues. As Acentic is about to close on a record year, we are planning to achieve another one!

Alistair R.B. Forbes, CEO

In this issue:

New Concepts in Hotel Innovation at the Pullman Paris BercyNew Concepts in Hotel Innovation at the Pullman Paris Bercy

Acentic continues its dedication to innovation and new services that maximise the guest experience and enhance revenues for hotels with the concept room at the Accor Group’s Pullman Paris Bercy, one of the upscale brand’s flagship hotels in Europe. The concept room is helping Acentic to understand better how hotel guests react to a number of elements. The Pullman Paris Bercy concept room marks the first time that full digital broadcast TV, PayTV and radio content is delivered to the hotel room over the existing coaxial network. Read more...

First W Hotel in Europe Selects Acentic Digital Interactive Television SystemFirst W Hotel in Europe Selects Acentic Digital Interactive Television System

Acentic is providing its Vision high-end interactive guest communication and digital entertainment solution for the first W Hotel in Europe – W Istanbul – opened April 2008 in Turkey. Acentic Vision features an extended content selection and unique user interface that reflects the emotional experience of the W Hotel brand and delivers a lifestyle TV experience in phase with W’s signature style and the distinctive Ottoman-style design of W Hotel Istanbul’s 137 rooms. Read more...

In-Room Hotel Technology Evolves with the Wider World of Consumer Digital MediaIn-Room Hotel Technology Evolves with the Wider World of Consumer Digital Media

Acentic is developing the next generation of navigation technology for hotel in-room entertainment that is needed to satisfy increasingly sophisticated guests and their expectations about what makes a good user experience. Current hotel iTV platforms use a somewhat linear, static and closed navigation. In contrast, the Acentic platform integrates external sources of information and entertainment, enabling hoteliers to turn the in-room television screen into a key media hub. Read more...