New services at Westin add value

I.T. Minister Austin Gatt praised the Westin Dragonara Resort for introducing new services that add value to its core business, differentiating it from its competitors.

He was speaking on Friday at the launch of Plug 'N' Play WiFi and High Speed Internet, a new service offered to hotel clients, not just residents but those who make use of the Westin's meeting facilities through a choice of packages.

Westin general manager Hans Cauchi said the service is available throughout the hotel's outer perimeter, including the Business Centre, the Executive Club Lounge, lobby, pool area and various hotel facilities. The hotel's rooms are the next stage for the development of the service.

The Westin is the first local hotel whose WiFi system is powered by Cisco, boasting ease of use - so all you need to do is to power on your laptop or PDA. Not only can clients browse the Internet and check their e-mail, they can also print documents as if they were at the office.

According to Michael Camilleri Kamsky, director of sales and marketing, from market research and customer input the Westin found that customers wanted the latest technology bundled with ease and speed of booking for meetings.

Two products are available, the Plug 'N' Play Meetings Bundle and Plug 'N' Play WiFi, with a choice also in the meetings bundle on offer.

Details of the products and the way the system works were given by Malcolm Manduca, Service Express assistant manager, and IT manager Aldo Grech.

Dr Gatt, in his address, said mobile penetration had reached 73 per cent and was of the level in Nordic countries, not those in the Mediterranean. Technology was evolving to 3G (third generation), with 4G systems on the drawing board. The next step is the integration of 3G telecommunications with digital TV.

"In the ICT field, government is moving ahead further than the private sector," he commented. The next generation of WiFi will be available in the street, so he challenged the private sector to meet the challenges to make the best commercial use of these facilities. "With the new facilities at the Westin it is a win-win situation for the hotel and its clients," he said.