Experts weigh in on the top tech trends for hotels
The hospitality industry is ripe for disruption.
A combination of siloed legacy systems, data fragmentation, rising consumer expectations, and high total costs associated with current booking systems, means that the hospitality industry has been slow to transform digitally, until now.
The market landscape is also changing. Consolidations of major brands such as Marriott and Starwood are disrupting the sector as merging allows brands to gain bargaining power and drive more direct bookings. We’re also seeing an increase in the independent market and alternative accommodation growing steadily.
However, no matter if you are a major international brand, or an independent boutique, the challenges and needs remain the same. To keep up with these changes, the hotel industry needs to adopt seamless, more guest-centric experiences, and technology will play a major role in this success.
For the launch of Amadeus’ Future of Hospitality campaign, leaders from Amadeus, InterContinental Hotels Group, AVUXI and the Banyan Tree Group have weighed in on the top technology trends that will shape the hotel experience and make brands think outside the box more than ever before:
The cloud will future-proof platforms with smart, flexible systems
“The rise of personalisation is a major trend faced by the entire travel industry. Consumers expect more personalised experiences, from the moment they begin searching for a booking, to checking out of a hotel room.
“However, a challenge for personalisation in the hotel industry is siloed legacy systems, built on a closed architecture. With a majority of data being fragmented, the industry struggles with guest recognition and personalisation, as these systems lack a complete overview.
“This is where cloud technology has the ability to solve data fragmenting and consolidate technologies together through an open platform. By unifying systems, hoteliers are able to understand the guest profile, and preferences across all touch points.”
Ahmed Youssef, executive vice president of corporate development and marketing for hospitality, Amadeus
Robots will remain as a gimmick
“While robot butlers may be the best way to receive your room service, these are no more than a gimmick. Using a luggage robot as an example, if you think about its application within a resort, from a terrain perspective it would be virtually impossible for the robot to follow its human leader.
“But in the future, these technologies will still be around, more impressive than the last. Hoteliers should instead be focusing on keeping service human, and how technology can assist humans within the industry.
“For example, if a light fixture is broken in a hotel room, they can alert the hotel staff through an app that triggers an automation flow and send a repairman. Technology should be used to foster an ‘information connection’ – one that helps hoteliers and empowers staff to be more productive.”
Kenneth Law, vice president of global sales, Banyan Tree
Artificial intelligence and ‘smart rooms’ will become standard
“AI and smart rooms are a trend being adopted by many hotels to create more personable, memorable experience. Using AI, guests are able to use voice commands to order room service, control curtains, set alarms, or even ordering additional towels.
“If a guest says, ‘I want to work,’ room lights will automatically adjust, the television will turn off, and the curtain will be drawn. Recently, we saw the likes of Amazon interject into the hospitality space with a hotel specific, Alexa for Hospitality.
“This means the technology will become more accessible and affordable for hoteliers and we could see AI and smart rooms become standard across the hospitality industry.”
Leanne Harwood, managing director for Australasia and Japan, IHG.
Booking the perfect hotel room will become easier through 3D/VR/AR technology
“Before booking any hotel, consumers will tediously examine the room through the dozens of images provided by the hotel. However, a trend we’re expecting to see continually grow is the use of 3D, virtual reality and augmented reality to map the inside of hotel rooms.
“This will improve booking in the future, as consumers will be able to freely explore the space and the facilities in a hotel. Further in the future, we can expect to see travellers able to also explore the area surroundings of the hotel.
“Overall, these technologies enable more certainty with consumers, that they’re making the most informed decision.”
Alexis Batlle, co-founder and chief executive, AVUXI
Mobile usage will continue to increase by guest
“On a global scale, we’re seeing ever expanding mobile usage by our guests. From searching for hotels, to booking, to checking in, to browsing for nearby restaurants.
“Consumers are reliant on mobile when traveling. To accommodate this trend, hoteliers are focusing on ensuring seamless WiFi network connections within hotel rooms and are beginning to develop dedicated hotel apps. Ensuring a seamless mobile experience will be critical in the future.”
Leanne Harwood, managing director for Australasia and Japan, IHG.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
-
Latest comments
Latest News
Collette goes off the beaten track with Canyon Country tour
To be clear TW is not advocating actually walking off the beaten track. Avoid the coyotes. Stay on the beaten track.
Intrepid & Korean Tourism Organisation team up to give agents a cooking masterclass
These guys learnt that Korean cooking is more than just putting kimchi on 2-minute noodles (as we once thought).
Winner, winner! Intrepid reveals the 9 lucky agents that won $2k
Who won the incentive? Which Intrepid trip will they spend it on? What day of the week is it again? Where am I? Huh?
Corporate Traveller reports 42% increase in Easter traffic this year
Business travellers just love Easter! Expect plenty of chocolate stained documents returning to the office on Tuesday.
Turbulent year wiped $384m off Qantas brand value: Report
Meanwhile, eating tuna at your desk can damage your own personal office brand value by several thousand dollars.
FAMIL: Room-Res & Singapore Tourism Board shows agents the Lion City’s roar
Click this article to see a man very impressed by a 20-layer chocolate cake. We're not kidding, he loved it!
Oceania Cruises offers sailors free pre-cruise hotel stay
Looking for ways to make your holidays as long as possible? Look no further.
Bonza launches new website to compliment app, agent portal
Does news about an airline's website fill you with ecstasy, glee and joy? Get your hit of the good stuff here.
MTA agents attends ‘Lunch ‘n’ Learn’ with AMA Waterways
When organising the event, Lunch 'n' Learn beat out Dinner 'n' Divulge and Breakfast 'n' Banter. Understandably so.
Travelmarvel reveals 2025 South America tours
If you spot any typos in the newsletter today it is because TW became distracted Googling images of Machu Picchu.
Tourists from 5 countries could be BANNED from visiting Australia
Anthony Albanese's immigration laws could impact tourism from certain countries.
Just how many passengers will Qantas & Jetstar hop around this Easter?
Airline workers are ready for gleeful Easter travellers! Also prepared for sticky children with chocolate on their face.
Air New Zealand gets ready for bumper Easter weekend
Air NZ gears up for travelling passengers this Easter, while TW looks to beat our egg eating record. 117 here we come!
Four Seasons Yachts reveals first itineraries to the Caribbean & Mediterranean
These trips look so good we wish there were five seasons! Alright, we'll see ourselves out...
FAMIL: Travellers Choice treats top agents to the wonders of Rotorua
This one's got plenty of famil pics and no one looks shockingly hungover in them! Clearly no TW staffers were there.
European Waterways celebrates 50th anniversary with week-long founders cruise
Plan on celebrating your 50th anniversary with a bottle of Moët and fairy bread? European Waterways has better ideas.
100th route! Jetstar celebrates the launch of Brisbane-Avalon with 12 hour sale
Jetstar knocks a ton and celebrates with a sale while TW once scored a ton and celebrated with about 17 beers.
Record-breaking year for NSW as visitor expenditure soars past $50 billion
Enjoy running round the Opera House? Be prepared to elbow even more tourists out the way.
Norwegian Cruise Line makes play for solo travellers
NCL ensuring you don't have to go trawling Tinder to find a cruise partner. Thank goodness, we were sick of catfishing.
Entire Travel Group’s Canada and Europe 2024/25 brochures are out now
Entire's new brochure is bittersweet; it both informs your clients and makes you envious of the holiday they'll take.
Malaysia Airlines adds 3 new destinations & A330neo seats
More seats means cheaper airfares and more money to spend on overpriced airport sandwiches. Woohoo!
Two divine days onboard Crystal Serenity
It's only pure serenity onboard this ship. Anxiety, agitation and anguish have been rejected by the bouncer.
How the Globus Family of Brands elevates coach touring: Travel Weekly TV with Chris Fundell
Chris' here so you don't think coaches mean peeling your thighs off a sticky leather seat every time you stand up!
The Flight Centre Foundation gears up for massive 2024 with 3 new board members
The foundation looks to invest $200k this year, spurring the TW journos to figure out how to qualify as a charity.
Barking Owl Communications to head up Anantara & Avani in ANZ
Fellow PR competitors had been barking up the wrong tree even thinking of bidding for this job!
Amex GBT to purchase CWT for $871m
It's big deals like this that get a firm handshake - hence the sore hands over at the CWT and Amex GBT offices.
1000MTG’s second global conference reminds agents to ‘strive and thrive’
Alongside messages to 'strive' and 'thrive' were those to 'survive', 'drive', 'arrive' and 'jive' (when appropriate).
Qantas A330 makes “loud bang”, pilots forced to shut down one engine
Qantas refusing to let Boeing have all the headlines in aviation world today!
GX Community Tourism Summit 2024 location revealed!
The new location has arrived and it'll blow your socks off! Time for another trip to Target for more socks then.
Visiting the destination my Mum didn’t want me to
Yet again, this journo has been a stress to his mother. Discover how this trip spurred his mother's anxiety here.
Agents come out of their shells at P&O’s turtle hatchery event
For some, it's a few glasses of bubbles to lure them out of their shell. For these agents, it was a bit more literal.
Boeing cleanout: CEO, chair to go as safety crisis plagues the manufacturer
CEOs are falling thick and fast these days. We should have started up a bingo game with their headshots in the office.
Virgin looks to swap MAX 10 order for MAX 8s amid Boeing delays: Reports
Virgin has changed its order for something smaller. Much like we have to at Maccas following a worrying doctor's visit.
Club Med unveils newest luxury yacht for 2024/25 early bird sale
This yacht is preserved for the early birds! Night Owls may also get onboard depending how late they stay up.
Abercrombie & Kent 2024 Asia Portfolio is here
Round up the family and get planning an Asia jaunt. Or, if they're hard to handle, brush them all and go it alone!
Elevate your earnings: Final days to secure double commission with Inspiring Vacations’ March offer
What could inspire you to sell more Inspiring Vacations? Double commission of course! That's all the inspiration needed.
And the above has zero mentions of 24/7/lifetime cost for brand new security… corporate data security+ local hotel data security + travelers’ personal security, and the HUGE insurance underwriting it will take to insure a global company from data breach lawsuits.
Not to mention the room by room by room sound proofing needed to make the “out loud talking & data sharing” of voice assistants mute to those in the paper-thin walled room next door.
Trillions of global cost initiatives could also take decades with very little cost ROI, if any.
I totally concur with the comment about personalization in the article. I would like to add a caveat that often seem to be overlooked by hotels, i.e. the local experiences that many visitors relish, especially those visiting the destination for the first time. Some hotels offer ‘Packages’ on their websites, but most do not get much traction from this. Furthermore, those offering ‘personalization’ equate it with an extension of a lilited set of fixed choices. None of these allow the visitor to really personalize their local tour.
Instead of referring guests to the rack of brochures or the concierge or cabbie, hotels can seize non the opportunity to offer guests better access to local experiences. Technology is making this easier for hotels to now establish this as a new revenue stream. Research shows that between 15 to 25 percent of hotel guests arrive at the hotel, want some local experience but wait till they arrive to figure out what is available.
Wyzgo Vacations hassle-free technology where visitors can customize and book tour packages through the hotel. Would be happy to provide details to any hotel wanting to learn more.