For immediate release:
Holiday Inn City of Knowledge Makes Smart Choice
with Signature RFID by VingCard,
Xtra II by Elsafe
New Panama City Property Chooses Leading Hospitality Security
Provider to Upgrade Security and Efficiency
Dallas (February, 28, 2011) – VingCard Elsafe, the global leader in hospitality security and part of the
ASSA ABLOY Group, has completed installation of its Signature RFID contactless electronic door locks
with NFC cell phone compatibility and Xtra II by Elsafe in-room safes at the Holiday Inn City of Knowledge
at Panama City, Panama.
The 137-room property hosts travelers from all over the
world, from business travelers visiting Panama City's
nearby banking district to tourists enjoying Panama’s many
interesting sites. Because of the hotel’s heavy guest traffic
and its multiple access points, ownership group Bern Hotels
& Resorts sought a locking solution that guarantees the
highest security, while also providing peak efficiency for the
hotel staff.
Holiday Inn Management ultimately selected VingCard’s Signature RFID solution to meet their unique
security needs. The contactless electronic door locks offer highly reliable security features and provide
unprecedented convenience and ease-of-operation for hoteliers and guests alike. The Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID) locks allow for contactless guestroom entry and are compatible with next-generation
NFC cell phones. The 600-event audit trail and VingCard’s patented anti-cloning technology are some of
the product’s features that let Holiday Inn City of Knowledge staff maintain complete and reliable security
around the property at all times.
Holiday Inn City of Knowledge is fully equipped to provide user-friendly and intuitive guest interaction,
including NFC cell phone compatibility, while decreasing the overall workload of the resort’s management
and staff. Signature RFID also provides unmatched adaptability and integration—with a variety of designer
handles and presentation options from key cards to wristbands—creating a sense of style and exclusivity
for any hotel, according to Rune Venas, president of ASSA ABLOY Hospitality North America.
“The Holiday Inn City of Knowledge has a very attractive and ideal location for all kinds of travelers,” Venas
says. “But that same attractive location makes even small
inefficiencies in design a huge problem for guests and hoteliers.
With Signature RFID, the hotel can maintain its high standards for
productivity while maintaining a secure and aesthetically pleasing
locking solution for guests.”
To complement Signature RFID electronic locks, Holiday Inn City
of Knowledge also selected the secure and affordably priced Xtra II
by Elsafe in-room safe solution. With five distinctive security safe
models to choose from, this exciting new series features sleek,
classic styling, advanced digital electronics, solid steel construction, a proprietary quick-change battery
system, anti-tamper labyrinths and Elsafe’s reputation for reliability. The Xtra II series includes the
industry’s leading audit trail system and Elsafe’s convenient handheld SafeLink controller.
“The Xtra II safe offers adaptability, security and reliability that nevertheless comes at a price point that
easily fits any hotel budget,” Venas says. “These safes provide guests with Elsafe’s famous secure design
while protecting the bottom line of the hotelier.”
Holiday Inn City of Knowledge may eventually choose
to offer remote check-in to hotel guests with NFCcompatible cell phones, which would allow guests to
skip the check-in line and instead use their NFC-enabled
cell phones to unlock the guestroom door. Signature RFID is a secure open-platform system compatible
with the three leading RFID ISO standards (ISO 14443A/MiFare, ISO 14443B, ISO 15693) and the new
NFC transaction platform for cell phones.
An informational video highlighting the check-in process using Signature RFID/NFC can be found online at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUHOOUBJr6s.
VingCard Elsafe is a world leader in developing locking systems for the hospitality industry, offering userfriendly security systems that meet the unique operational needs of hotels and resorts. For more
information, visit www.vingcard.com.
About VingCard Elsafe
The world leader in hotel security technology, ASSA ABLOY Hospitality has products installed in more than 39,000 properties
worldwide, securing in excess of 6.5 million hotel rooms. The ASSA ABLOY Group, a publicly listed company, is a world leader
in security and hospitality systems. VingCard provides numerous electronic locking system solutions, including traditional
magnetic-strip, smartcard systems and the latest RFID electronic locks compatible with the main ISO standards: ISO 14.443A
(MIFARE), ISO 14.443B, ISO15.693 and NFC-compatible (Near Field Communication), fully integrated PMS interface software
solutions, as well as the world leader in wireless online locking solutions for hotels based on ZigBee secured open platform.
VingCard has worldwide service and support in more than 166 countries. Elsafe provides the first UL-listed (1037) hotel safe
series on the market today in keypad and card-based models. Safes that include a UL-listed internal power outlet to support
recharging of laptops and camcorders, full wireless online capabilities and RFID versions compatible with VingCard system.
Elsafe customers also enjoy the same worldwide service and support. The ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Group is dedicated to the
hospitality industry. For more information on VingCard Elsafe, visit www.vingcard.com or www.elsafe.com.
About City of Holiday Inn® City of Knowledge
Travelers looking for Panama hotel deals will appreciate the great location and outstanding array of amenities found at the
Holiday Inn® City of Knowledge. Located just minutes away from some of the best attractions and businesses in Panama, the
property offers both convenience and great value. Leisure guests are often drawn to the family-friendly Panama City hotel's
close proximity to several of the city's best attractions, including the visitor center at Miraflores Locks at the Panama Canal, the
Albrook Shopping Center (with free shuttle service from our hotel) and the Gamboa Rainforest Resort. But guests don't even
have to leave the hotel to enjoy a sparkling, outdoor pool in a beautifully landscaped courtyard, the well-equipped 24-hour
fitness center or our gift shop for a souvenir. For more information, visit http://www.holidayinn.com/hotels/us/en/panamacity/pcyhi/hoteldetail#
Media contacts:
Andrea Roland
Plan A PR & Marketing, Inc.
Tel: +1 (407) 905-0608
[email protected]
Riise Walker, Marketing Manager
VingCard, Elsafe, TimeLox
Tel: +1 (972) 692-3167
[email protected]
ASSA ABLOY Hospitality North America
631 International Parkway  Suite 100  Richardson, Texas 75081  www.vingcard.com  www.elsafe.com  Phone: 972 907 2273  Fax: 972 907 2771
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