Atlanta, United States

Global air transport IT provider SITA today announced a seven-year deal with Miami International Airport to implement technology to transform the experience for the airport's nearly 40 million passengers. This is part of the airport's US $6.4 billion capital improvement program and includes implementation of SITA's sophisticated self-service technologies and virtualization.

As part of the deal, Miami International will be the first airport in North America to have the passenger processing platform, SITA AirportConnect Open, deployed in a virtual environment, across the entire airport. The implementation will also meet the industry's latest common-use passenger processing system (CUPPS) standards.

Virtualization allows the airport to run the latest technologies and incorporate upgrades to its system efficiently and cost-effectively, while allowing airlines to seamlessly operate at any desk, gate or work station throughout the airport. In total, SITA's advanced technology will run more than 750 workstations and 60 common-use self-service (CUSS) kiosks.

SITA will also pilot cutting-edge passenger technologies with the airport to investigate new and better services for passengers. This could include self-boarding gates and exploring new technology such as near field communication (NFC), which allows passengers with smartphones to move through airport checkpoints with a simple tap of their phone. SITA is the industry leader in this area; its technology research team SITA Lab ran the world's first live SIM-based NFC trial in an airport.

Maurice Jenkins, Director Information Systems and Telecommunications, Miami International Airport, said: "This is a significant move for Miami Airport. We are making this seven-year commitment to SITA because of its unique combination of advanced technology, round-the-clock service, on-site support and total dedication to the air transport industry.

"As the largest U.S. gateway for Latin America and the Caribbean and one of the leading international passenger and freight airports in the world, it is vital that Miami Airport partners with an innovative technology provider. SITA is working with us to continually improve the service we provide to the 88 airlines that use our airport and the nearly 40 million passengers they serve."

Paul Houghton, SITA President, Americas, said: "Miami International set new all-time records for passenger and cargo traffic in 2012 and recognizes how SITA's technology can support its future growth. This major long term investment will see improvements in frontline passenger services, including check-in, baggage handling and boarding. Airlines will also enjoy the benefits of improved resiliency of operations and the flexibility of the virtualized AirportConnect Open CUPPS compliant platform."

Along with the virtualized common-use service, which allows efficient use of the airport infrastructure by all airlines, SITA will expand its BagMessage services at the airport for improved baggage processing. This service, which in 2012 delivered 1.5 billion baggage information messages for more than 500 airlines and is used by 200 airports, is proof of the importance of making baggage data available to the right system, at the right time. The airport is also investing in system redundancy to ensure high levels of uptime of its operations.

Additionally, Miami International will work with SITA to ensure the airport's Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance, the security standard developed by the international card payment industry to provide fraud protection to cardholders. Compliance is mandated by the card payment industry but it is also sound business practice. It protects clients, reduces card fraud, and lowers the risk of fines and fees.

In 2012, SITA was the world's first, and remains the only, service provider of a common-use passenger processing system and managed services, to be listed as capable of meeting the global security requirements of the payment card industry. It achieved Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) certification as a service provider of its common-use platform AirportConnect Open.

The rollout of SITA's technology included in this seven-year agreement with Miami International will begin in July with dual redundant core rooms being the first deliverable, providing the airport with improved uptime of all its IT services. Pilots with SITA Lab to investigate cutting-edge technologies will begin later in the year and if successful could be rolled out throughout the airport.

— WebWireID176187 —

New Curated In-Home Wine-Tasting Experience Invites Guests to Sip and Savor

JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts is pleased to introduce the new JWM Wine Club, designed exclusively for JW Marriott guests to compliment their passion for wine and the in-home wine-tasting experience. Created in collaboration with Treasury Wine Estates, the JWM Wine Club provides members with carefully curated wine experiences, highlighting fine wines from some of California's most awarded luxury estates.

The JWM Wine Club will introduce wine enthusiasts to the reserves and iconic labels of California's most heralded wine estates with a sampling of four wines in a single-serving format shipped quarterly to a preferred address. Members will then select their two favorites and receive a 750ml bottle of each to enjoy. Additionally, wine tasting notes from a JW Marriott wine ambassador and recipes to pair with your wines from a hotel executive chef will be included with each shipment, providing members with the tools to learn about the life of the vine, duties of a winemaker and how to properly choose, taste and enjoy the best wine for any occasion. The cost to participate is $150 per shipment.

'We are thrilled to officially introduce our new JWM Wine Club, a program which was designed to further enhance our connection with our guests by providing luxuries that speak to their personal interest,' said Mitzi Gaskins, vice president & global brand manager for JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts. 'The collaboration with Treasury Wine Estates offers an innovative way for guests to access and experience fine wine, providing them with a JW Marriott experience to savor at home at their leisure.'

'The JWM Wine Club is an extension of a very important strategic partnership between Treasury Wine Estates and JW Marriott,' said Nicole Carter, vice president, public relations for Treasury Wine Estates. 'We are always looking for dynamic ways to talk to new consumers. I believe the JWM Wine Club brings a new level of innovation into our hospitality business and allows us to bring a taste of California to consumers at home.'

This new program, dedicated to the JW Marriott guests' passions for culture, culinary and well-being, brings a curated element to the in-home wine-tasting experience. To join the JWM Wine Club, visit www.JWMWineClub.com.

About JW Marriott
JW Marriott is part of Marriott International's luxury portfolio and consists of beautiful properties in gateway cities and distinctive resort locations around the world. These elegant hotels cater to today's sophisticated, self-assured travelers, offering them the quiet luxury they seek in a warmly authentic, relaxed atmosphere lacking in pretense. JW Marriott properties artfully provide highly crafted, anticipatory experiences that are reflective of their locale so that their guests have the time to focus on what is most important to them. Currently, there are 60 JW Marriott hotels in 24 countries; by 2015 the portfolio is expected to encompass 79 properties in 28 countries. Visit us online, jwmarriott.com, @jwmarriott and facebook.com/JWMarriott.

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for company information. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.

About Treasury Wine Estates
Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) is a unique global wine company with a leading international portfolio of new world wines. From the establishment of Australia's Penfolds in the mid-1840s to the 1876 founding of Beringer Vineyards, a winemaking legacy has been created. TWE is now the world's largest publicly-listed (ASX: TWE.AX) wine-only company with over 80 brands, including Beringer Vineyards, Be., Castello di Gabbiano, Chateau St. Jean, Cellar No. 8, Colores del Sol, Etude, Lindeman's, Matua Valley, Meridian Vineyards, Penfolds, Rosemount Estate, Souverain, Stags' Leap Winery, St. Clement, The Skinny Vine, Wolf Blass and more. With over 28,000 acres of sustainable vineyards, sales totaling nearly 32 million cases of wine annually, and revenues of about AU$1.64 billion, TWE employs over 3,600 winemakers, viticulturists, sales, distribution and support staff across 12 countries. For more information, visit www.tweglobal.com.

— WebWireID176186 —

South Florida’s first Linux themed coffee shop will host a day of Bitcoin awareness and discussion.

(PRWeb June 19, 2013)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/6/prweb10847655.htm

Recreational vehicle theft is on the rise. SellMyRVtoday.com offers some tips to keep your RV safe from the hands of thieves.

(PRWeb June 19, 2013)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/6/prweb10756439.htm

Hot Springs Village has been a golfer’s destination since its beginning, and the golf here just keeps getting better and better. Situated in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains, Hot Springs…

(PRWeb June 19, 2013)

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Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority in conjunction with the Delray Beach Magazine is excited to announce the 2013 Tastemakers of Delray Beach is underway.

(PRWeb June 19, 2013)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013TASTEMAKERS/DELRAYBEACH/prweb10840099.htm

REYKJAVIK, ICELAND – Icelandic travel agency Nordic Visitor announced today that it has received a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence, which is given just to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding reviews on TripAdvisor. Only the top-performing 10 percent of all businesses listed receive this prestigious annual award that honours excellence in hospitality.
 
To qualify, businesses must maintain an overall rating of four or higher, out of a possible five, as reviewed by travellers on TripAdvisor, and must have been listed for at least 12 months. The volume of reviews received within the last 12 months is also taken into account. This is the first such award for Nordic Visitor, which has been listed on TripAdvisor since late 2011.
 
 'We are grateful to have customers that take the time to write about their travel experiences with us, and we are honoured to receive this Certificate of Excellence,' said Ásberg Jónsson, CEO of Nordic Visitor. 'It really shows that our staff's hard work and dedication to customer satisfaction is paying off.'
 
About Nordic Visitor
Founded in Reykjavik, Iceland as a tourist information centre in 2002, Nordic Visitor has since grown to become one of Iceland's leading travel agencies, offering a wide range of tailor-made vacation packages throughout the Nordic region along with day tours and MICE services in selected destinations. The company now employs over 50 people at its headquarters in Iceland and office in Stockholm, Sweden.
 
For more information, please visit www.nordicvisitor.com.

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— WebWireID176117 —

Park Inn by Radisson, the young and dynamic mid-market brand of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, has launched its online summer campaign 2013: On www.parkinn.com and through e-mail newsletters the brand promotes an interactive web tool to easily discover all hotels & offerings, based on the users' personal interests, as well as savings of up to 20% for two-night stays. On www.facebook.com/parkinn social media users can also participate in the 'Find Yourself Quiz' and – every day till 28th July 2013 – win a free two-night stay in a Park Inn by Radisson Hotel in Europe.

'At Park Inn by Radisson we are reaching out to the growing young clientele searching for connectivity and creativity, activity and flexibility. Our summer campaign responds to their needs, will create buzz around the brand and will increase customer engagement and involvement', said Eric De Neef, Senior Vice President Marketing & CRM, Global Branding Park Inn by Radisson.

The campaign combines a fresh and clean visual tone with personalized contents and offers: Every user will find the dream destination that corresponds to his or her interests and preferences; be it a Park Inn by Radisson hotel in a shopping metropolis, at the beach or in the mountains.

Park Inn by Radisson was born in 2003 and has rapidly grown to today 160 hotels in operation and under development across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The mid-market brand is currently being re-launched as a competitive concept further enhancing attractiveness, commerciality and profitability. The new Park Inn by Radisson is focused on connection, choice and community – offering free internet to all guests, the 'live-inn room' (an innovative multipurpose social hub) and colourful guest rooms designed for the modern traveller.

Notes to Editors:
The Rezidor Hotel Group is one of the most dynamic hotel companies in the world and a member of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. The group features a portfolio of more than 430 hotels in operation and under development with almost 97,000 rooms in more than 70 countries.

Rezidor operates the brands Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), along with the Club Carlson loyalty programme for frequent hotel guests. Under a worldwide licence agreement with the iconic Italian fashion house Missoni Rezidor operates and develops the lifestyle brand Hotel Missoni. Following a strategic alliance agreement with Regent Hotels & Resorts Rezidor also develops and operates new Regent properties in EMEA. Rezidor has an industry-leading Responsible Business Programme and was awarded one the World's Most Ethical Companies by the US think tank Ethisphere.

In November 2006, Rezidor was listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. Carlson, a privately held global hospitality and travel company, based in Minneapolis (USA), is the majority shareholder.

The corporate support office of the Rezidor Hotel Group is based in Brussels, Belgium.

For more information, visit www.rezidor.com

— WebWireID176136 —

39 baggage machines at Frankfurt, Munich and Hamburg airports

Lufthansa is investing in innovative technologies that provide greater comfort for passengers. Just in time for the summer travelling season, passengers at Frankfurt, Munich and Hamburg airports can now take advantage of the 39 baggage machines and drop off their luggage themselves. Passengers who have already received their boarding pass by checking in online, via a mobile device or at a check-in machine within 23 hours before departure can simply make their way to one of the baggage machines and send their luggage on its journey themselves without having to queue. Customers can then pass directly through security and go to their gate.

Here's how it works: To drop off luggage, it is placed on the belt and the barcode printed on the boarding pass is scanned. The baggage machine prints a self-adhesive luggage tag, which can be attached to the bags easily. The luggage is then transported by the machine to the airport's conveyor belts and the passenger receives a print-out of their receipt.

This service was tested in Munich and Frankfurt over a number of months last year. Due to the positive feedback from customers and the high level of use, this service has now been expanded. To date, Lufthansa passengers have already checked in more than 640,000 pieces of luggage via the machines.

The new baggage machine locations at a glance
Frankfurt: 16 baggage machines, 8 in departure hall B, 8 in departure hall A (Terminal 1)
Munich: 19 baggage machines, 13 at the south and 6 at the north side entrances (Terminal 2 Departures)
Hamburg: 4 baggage machines at the end of check-in rows 7 and 8 (Terminal 2)

— WebWireID176135 —

Dedicated pregnancy massages and soothing Spa treatments provide the ideal tonic for mums-to-be.

Mauritius, – -With the dramatic changes on the body during pregnancy and an overwhelming number of thoughts racing through an expectant mother's mind, it's essential to ensure time for rest and relaxation, which is exactly what is on offer during a "Babymoon" at Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita.

To pinpoint the key areas of physical discomfort and stress, the Mauritius resort has introduced dedicated maternity massages at its Spa, with a choice of the Pregnancy Relaxation Massage (60 or 90 minutes) and the Pregnancy Body Balancing Massage (120 minutes). Combining gentle but firm rhythmic compression techniques with therapeutic massage strokes, the Pregnancy Relaxation Massage is the perfect way to relieve stress, while the lengthier, more advanced Pregnancy Body Balancing Massage eases discomfort through structural rebalancing, releases tension and stabilizes posture, all of which help to promote an early and healthy recovery.

The pregnancy massages are available to women in their second and third trimester and these mums-to-be can opt for further pampering by adapting existing treatments from the overwater Spa's menu, with all therapists having been trained by world-class maternity massage experts. Ranging from locally-inspired treatments such as the Coconut and Aloe Vera Island Ritual to a Coconut Exfoliation or body conditioning treatments, expectant mothers can enjoy hours of rejuvenation. While for women in their first trimester, choices include a wide range of renewing facials, manicures and pedicures, as well as the newly launched and deeply relaxing Vaishaly Experience.

Away from the Spa, four restaurants, three secluded beaches and exclusively pool villa accommodation make for the perfect retreat ahead of welcoming a new arrival, with the Resort's team of chefs on hand to cater to any specific dietary requirements that may be a priority during pregnancy.

— WebWireID176121 —