Group items tagged

Advanced technology can make life easier, but it cannot replace human beings

All in all, disruptive innovation is undoubtedly resulting in challenges for the hotel industry. At the same time, it is also a ‘wake-up’ call for hoteliers to turn these challenges into opportunities and competitive advantages

New business models such as alternative accommodation (Airbnb, HouseTrip, etc.) and ride-sharing platforms (Uber) are also changing the public’s perceptions to traditional hospitality businesses

Technology helps make the world connected and transparent.

In short, it’s all about the amount of effort hoteliers are prepared to make to keep their service commitments to their guests. 

Network computing has enormous implications for marketing to customers on a global basis, as well as hotel operations. Consider the potential for the industry to connect with vendors worldwide for electronic purchasing, potentially achieving economies of scale and leveraging not yet possible. World purchasing functions will allow companies to customize their own catalogs. Virtual channels of distribution using computer networking capabilities will also allow hotel companies to market products and services - some traditional to our industry, others not - to customers whether they are in the hotel, at work, or at home. This will require a migration from today's central reservation systems to tomorrow's customer information systems using network-centric solutions. Development of customer profiles and guest recognition will make it possible for hotel organizations to interact in entirely new ways with customers, regardless of their physical location. Clearly, the large hotel companies will need to be the first to address questions raised by global networking capabilities and what this will mean in terms of technology investment. But for many hospitality companies presently struggling with the high cost of technology and the confusing state of our industry's technology affairs, this will not be an easy task. And the decisions will ultimately become further complicated by the opportunity to outsource certain functions into subscription-based networks. It is unlikely that the hospitality industry will be forced to bear the entire burden for networking infrastructure. Strategic alliances with major technology companies will be the catalysts in building this capability as they become strategic providers of networking capabilities to hospitality and other industries. And as network-centric computing comes of age and a company's proprietary information is stored in cyberspace, security will become an ever-more important issue requiring solutions. Whether it is an e-mail gateway through an internal network or customer access via the Internet, network fire walls and encryption systems will be required to mitigate the concern many will have with system security.

Network computing has enormous implications for marketing to customers on a global basis, as well as hotel operations. Consider the potential for the industry to connect with vendors worldwide for electronic purchasing, potentially achieving economies of scale and leveraging not yet possible. World purchasing functions will allow companies to customize their own catalogs. Virtual channels of distribution using computer networking capabilities will also allow hotel companies to market products and services - some traditional to our industry, others not - to customers whether they are in the hotel, at work, or at home. This will require a migration from today's central reservation systems to tomorrow's customer information systems using network-centric solutions. Development of customer profiles and guest recognition will make it possible for hotel organizations to interact in entirely new ways with customers, regardless of their physical location. Clearly, the large hotel companies will need to be the first to address questions raised by global networking capabilities and what this will mean in terms of technology investment. But for many hospitality companies presently struggling with the high cost of technology and the confusing state of our industry's technology affairs, this will not be an easy task. And the decisions will ultimately become further complicated by the opportunity to outsource certain functions into subscription-based networks. It is unlikely that the hospitality industry will be forced to bear the entire burden for networking infrastructure. Strategic alliances with major technology companies will be the catalysts in building this capability as they become strategic providers of networking capabilities to hospitality and other industries. And as network-centric computing comes of age and a company's proprietary information is stored in cyberspace, security will become an ever-more important issue requiring solutions. Whether it is an e-mail gateway through an internal network or customer access via the Internet, network fire walls and encryption systems will be required to mitigate the concern many will have with system security. In the final analysis, networking solutions will drive down the cost of technology investment "on-property" where hotel real estate and business interests merge. The solutions that hotel organizations will be able to choose from in terms of networking should also be less expensive than the current profile of technology spending. And we can expect that change to occur sooner rather than later, given the present rate of investment in Internet-based technologies.

One such avenue is through retargeting. This is the process whereby shoppers who have visited a website are displayed adverts for that site even after navigating away from it. It can also be employed when a shopper adds a product or service to their cart, but then abandons it before paying.

With recent advances in 360-degree photography, hotel websites can now offer virtual tours of their rooms and venues. This lets any potential customers to see first-hand (almost) where they will be staying before booking.

one of the most simple tactics is to use ticker counters to denote how many rooms are available for certain dates, with the number steadily decreasing as they get snapped up. Urgency is a powerful motivator of action, and a countdown is perfect for conveying that.

Ecommerce is also a great medium for utilizing social proof. This is the leveraging of user-generated reviews and testimonials to convince dithering customers to commit to a purchase. By sharing customer sentiment in emails or on websites at the point of sale, brands can head off any concerns that shoppers might have with authentic testimonials.

As ecommerce grows ever more popular, online businesses are given more and more options to capitalize on psychological triggers to turn potential customers into sales. There are a number of these available out there, from storytelling, to building a sense of community.

The arrival of ecommerce has transformed the way thousands of industries do business

From retail and finance to construction and agriculture, more and more businesses are embracing the ecommerce boom

Improved customer experience, targeted advertising, streamlined marketing processes — the benefits for brands are almost endless.

Ecommerce is opening up new avenues for businesses all over the world across a variety of industries. Hospitality has a lot to gain from adopting new technology and ecommerce innovations. Use smart tech to help you market experiences. And don’t forget to invest in data and personalization to drive up conversion rates.

Ecommerce is opening up new avenues for businesses all over the world across a variety of industries. Hospitality has a lot to gain from adopting new technology and ecommerce innovations. Use smart tech to help you market experiences. And don’t forget to invest in data and personalization to drive up conversion rates

commerce is opening up new avenues for businesses all over the world across a variety of industries. Hospitality has a lot to gain from adopting new technology and ecommerce innovations. Use smart tech to help you market experiences. And don’t forget to invest in data and personalization to drive up conversion rates

Today’s consumers are increasingly demanding a more personalized service in their ecommerce experience.

London’s Strand Palace Hotel offers their guests such an experience, with the option of navigating through their restaurant, cafe, lounge, gym and more, all without ever even setting foot in the hotel.

VR is already being experimented with by a number of big-name brands.

Another innovation offered by ecommerce is selling to segmented buyer personas. These are imagined creations of your most common types of customer, built on consumer data that takes into account how and why they shop with you.

This is a useful technique employed by a number of online stores.

allowing them to target anyone who abandoned their cart before paying by displaying relevant ads and sending emails with special offers and discounts. By ‘chasing’ consumers as they browse the web, online businesses can ensure that they follow up on any missed sales.

Faster innovation With cloud-based hotel PMS, hotels can bring new properties online more quickly. Each new release brings new capabilities to help deliver great guest experiences, improve operating efficiency, and increase employee productivity. Lower IT complexity and costs With cloud-based hotel PMS, hotels can lower upfront capital expenditure on software and hardware. By going above-property, hotels can also reduce IT complexity and IT costs. Increase in RevPAR and ADR With cloud-based hotel PMS, hotels can effectively manage rates and allocation of rooms to various distribution channels, helping to maximize occupancy, rates, and revenue. Enhanced customer lifetime value With cloud-based hotel PMS, hotels get a single customer master with comprehensive guest profiles that allow them to personalize and differentiate guest experiences.

Until recently, hotel PMS solutions were often managed on premises. On-premises solutions include hardware that can take up a lot of space. Resources were needed to manage the systems and software updates, upgrades, and patches needed to be scheduled and installed manually by onsite staff. Cloud-based, mobile-enabled hotel PMS platforms offer hotels an innovative way to engage with guests while enabling hotels to reduce IT costs and simplify their infrastructure.

ncrease housekeeping efficiency with instant updates on housekeeping mobile devices when customers check out, freeing up rooms for cleaning

seamless guest experience.

that replaced time-intensive, paper and spreadsheet-heavy processes.

is now a critical business operations system

Enhanced customer lifetime value.

Hoteliers are challenged with providing a personalized guest experience

olutions help hoteliers deliver the experience guests want, while efficiently managing their business.

Connect operations and financial processes by leveraging prebuilt integrations

Increase room occupancy and ADR through real-time rate

ster innovation.

Lower IT complexity and costs.

rease in RevPAR and ADR.

aditionally, a hotel property management system was defined as a platform that enabled a hotel or group of hotels to manage front-office capabilities, such as booking reservations, guest check-in/check-out, room assignment, managing room rates, and billing.

OPERA Cloud hotel property management system offers hoteliers capabilities to enhance operating efficiency and deliver exceptional guest experiences. The platform integrates emerging technologies with ease, accelerating innovation to meet ever-changing demands. Hotel PMS Defined

The benefits of cloud-based hotel PMS solutions include:

r

T

Hotel PMS now integrates to other onsite services that impact the guest's complete experience, including:

OPERA Cloud hotel property management system offers hoteliers capabilities to enhance operating efficiency and deliver exceptional guest experiences. The platform integrates emerging technologies with ease, accelerating innovation to meet ever-changing demands.

Provide anytime, anywhere service to your guests using a mobile-enabled cloud-based hotel PMS.

Empower managers to improve ADR with extensive options for setting rates and advanced rate-management features for manual and semiautomated revenue management.

Centralize and secure customer data and improve the quality and accuracy of guest profiles with reporting and analytics.

With a cloud hotel PMS, hotels get a single customer master with comprehensive guest profiles that allow them to personalize and differentiate guest experiences.

1. Security and Access

One of the main ways facial recognition can be deployed within the hospitality industry is for security and access purposes. Within a hotel setting, this might mean using the technology to grant guests access to their hotel room,

When it comes to security, the technology can also be vital in helping to identify troublesome guests, or guests who have previously been removed from the premises.

2. Customer Service

The technology can also be used by those within the hospitality industry to deliver a greater level of customer service. For example, facial recognition can allow employees to quickly identify guests, perhaps before they even check-in, and deliver more personalised greetings and a more tailored service.

3. Payment Authorisation

Facial recognition also has a role to play in helping to authorise payments, making that process more efficient. Companies like MasterCard have already implemented systems powered by facial recognition, where a customer can confirm a payment using the camera on their phone, or a camera supplied by the vendor.

4. Research and Information

The technology can be set up for market research purposes, helping companies to know exactly how many people are in a location at a particular time. Additionally, it can be used to draw conclusions about customers too, reading their expressions to ascertain their mood, or their facial features to ascertain their age or gender. Most impressively, this data can be gathered automatically, at any time of the day or night.

One of the challenges for hotel managers and others within the hospitality industry looking to introduce facial recognition is balancing the benefits with privacy for customers. Indeed, many people have concerns about facial recognition, due to the fact that it means even more data about them being collected and stored.

Furthermore, many people fear their data being sold on to other companies against their will, and dislike the idea of businesses being able to track their every move. It is, therefore, important that the hospitality industry takes these concerns seriously and takes steps to avoid misusing data. In some cases, one of the best solutions may be to make facial recognition an opt-in or opt-out service, so that users have a choice in the matter.

If a company has a customer reward scheme, members may be given the option to upload a photo during the sign up. Facial recognition can then allow that company to instantly identify members and provide them with rewards. The technology may also identify returning customers, allowing them to be rewarded too.

The technology can also be used more generally to recognise certain things about faces, such as whether a face belongs to a man or a woman, or what age range the person is likely to be in. Facial recognition is used by security services, law enforcement and technology companies, and is becoming more prevalent in the hospitality industry.

imagine a hotel where guests go to a kiosk, check out using facial recognition and confirm their payment in the same way, with no need to interact with a single hotel employee. Kiosks can also be used in restaurants, allowing customers to pay seamlessly on their way out.

Finally, in order to understand customers, improve services and optimise processes, hotels and other companies need to be able to gather feedback and data. This is an area where the uses for facial recognition may be less immediately obvious, but where those uses can be extremely beneficial.

To date, one of the most effective uses of facial recognition within hospitality management has been as part of the hotel check-in process. In two different Marriott hotels in China, for example, guests now have the option to bypass the traditional check-in desk and instead head to a kiosk. There, facial recognition technology scans their face, identifies them and provides them with a key card, all in the space of around one minute.

Facial recognition technology can help hotel owners and others in the hospitality industry to improve the customer experience, make processes more efficient and enhance security. In particular, it allows for queues to be avoided, check-ins to be automated, and security and research to be more comprehensive.

With the rising popularity of online reviews, hospitality guests now have the ability to research any venue to see what others have posted.

Both review websites and social media platforms have become active gateways to global opinion, and travelers use these extensively to help them decide where to book

Technology is shaping how lodgings and restaurants are found and booked

Improving a guest's experience depends on the ability to identify the individual guest's preferences. The best way to determine these is by collecting data from first-, second- and third-party sources, combining and analyzing it effectively.

guests can now control all the functions of the room from a single device

We have also seen the emergence of cost-saving technologies that not only focus on guest loyalty but also reduce fixed costs and overheads.

statistics that show an undoubtedly positive response to technology,

Biometric authentication offers the most secure method of proving identity that's currently available, and the hospitality industry has been quick to realize the need for this level of safety.

Theoretically, it should improve the customer experience, particularly through the use of data collected by using the various technologies

two-thirds of U.S. hotel guest respondents felt it was either "extremely important" or "very important" for hotels to continue investing in technology to enhance the guest experience.

it seems travelers of all ages are keen to make the most of online hotel reservations and reviews

hey understand the need for (and value of) using technology to support the guest experience, and although they are rapidly embracing many aspects of this brave new world, they still need to be able to consult with a human being if required.

it seems travelers of all ages are keen to make the most of online hotel reservations and reviews

he experience is now facilitated by technological factors,

Baby Boomers who look set to remain the most prolific travelers for the next two to three years, and see if the numbers support the theory that technology has improved the hospitality experience.

But is it really an improvement, or has the industry gone too far? Do these changes enhance the guest's experience, or have we forfeited the true meaning of the word "hospitality" in the process?

how much is it taking away from the guest's personal experience?

shows the reviews for companies in the hospitality industry are considered 48% more important and valuable than in other industries, which indicates the target audience takes online reviews exceptionally seriously

These have taken off extensively, with research showing one half of millennials, 26% of Gen Xers and 12% of Baby Boomers consider themselves "travel hackers," which means they believe they know all the best ways to use technology for good deals. Chatbots on booking websites enable the user to ask questions without even getting up from the sofa.

The benefits of automation will soon become crystal clear.

Guests can stream SHOWTIME shows for free through the app, without needing to input credentials or create a subscription. Anyone who prefers not to download the app can operate the same controls using a simplified, in-room remote device.

from notifications about special deals to managing their loyalty program account.

e, for example, the system can automatically send the conference itinerary and a map of the meeting spaces to his or her device.

Property Management System- The Future of Hotel Industry

Property Management System- The Future of Hotel Industry

Property Management System- The Future of Hotel Industry

It is the age of the Internet, the age when many businesses solely run on the Internet. From marketing to reaching new people, there is a lot that can be done with the help of this medium

Central Reservation System: One of the greatest advantages of using an online hotel software is that you do not have any more headaches about reservations.

  Numerous Point of Sale: Keeping a check on the add-on services your hotel provides can easily be done with the help of the numerous points of sales.

Sales and Marketing Console: To help popularize your hotel and make it known to people from across the globe, many PMSs have a dedicated sales and marketing console.

Travel Agents and Corporate Clients:It is also important that you properly deal with travel agents and corporate clients as they play a very important role in bringing in more guests to the hotel.

Connected to 1000s of Travel Portals: These property management systems  help you get connected to many travel portals like Travelocity, Tripadvisor and Expedia helping you reach more people. 

Basic accounting training is still the obvious first step, even starting with career college based diplomas.

Avail yourself of basic certification, familiarize yourself with quality bookkeeping and accounting software, and climb aboard the hospitality and tourism career train!

Near field communication (NFC) technology is the next-generation short-range high frequency wireless communication technology that gives users the ability to exchange data between devices.

Hotels will increasingly install smart room access systems that allow guests to unlock their doors by simply swiping their phones across a keyless pad on the door. Starwood (owner of the Sheraton, Weston and “W” hotel chains) has already upgraded 30,000 room locks across 150 hotels with this system and Hilton will be implementing a similar system at 10 of their US properties this year. In 2016, they will be deploying the smart room key technology globally. This technology will mean that guests don’t have to worry about picking up keys and front desk staff won’t have to issue new keys in the event that a guest loses their room key. Another innovative way to offer a keyless experience is through fingerprint-activated room entry systems and retina scanning devices. Retina scanning is even more accurate and secure than fingerprint scans and hotels like the Nine Zero Hotel in Boston have already installed an iris scan system in place of key cards to control access to the hotel’s presidential suite.

Some hotels are already offering more futuristic experiences, with robots delivering any items ordered through room service to a guest’s door. A boutique hotel that is nestled between Apple’s headquarters and other tech companies, called Aloft Cupertino, has a robot butler called Botlr that is able to move between the various floors of the hotel in order to take items such as toothbrushes, chargers and snacks to guests. These types of digital systems not only make it easy for hotel staff to deliver items to guests, but it also offers a forward-facing digital experience to people who stay at the hotel. Infrared scanners are now also used to minimise disruptions relating to housekeeping (which is a common complaint from customers). Instead of hanging a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on doors or having cleaning staff wake up traveling guests with knocks and phone calls, hotel staff can take a more innovative approach by using infrared scanners that will detect body heat within a room and tell cleaning staff that they should rather come back later if the room is currently occupied.

Digital conference facilities Besides being able to offer high density Wi-Fi for conferences and meetings, hotels also need to be able to offer access to audio-visual (AV) and digital facilities for conferences. While the amount of AV and digital equipment that goes into a typical conference room is fairly minimal, staging companies are often hired for various projects in order to equip the facility as required.

Mobile communication and automation In many airports, it’s no longer necessary to stand in a queue to check in and people are expecting the same kind of easy, technology-driven check-ins at hotels. Guests want to be able to do everything from checking in at a venue’s automated kiosk to ordering room service with a digital device instead of standing in queues and moving around the hotel premises to order food.

Cloud services Being able to provide entertainment on tap and mobile content has led to the trend of hotels investing in cloud services. While hotels want to be able to offer digital content, they don’t necessarily want to invest in IT infrastructure and IT staff, making cloud computing the ideal solution.

Feedback on social media Technology has infiltrated almost every aspect of our lives and hotel developers need to realise that almost any person checking in at a hotel, resort, spa or lodge, will have a smartphone in their pockets.

Converged LANs to support multiple services Converged local area networks (LANs) will also help hotels to create more intelligent buildings. A variety of computer-based building services can be automated in order to control lighting, refrigeration, air-conditioning and heating. Besides reducing energy consumption, converged LANs can also be set up to provide a smarter, more personal experience. If a guest is known to prefer his or her room temperature at 18°C with the lights dimmed to 65%, for example, this can be programmed before the guest checks in at the hotel.

Integrated, seamless experiences Technology doesn’t mean that customer experience can only happen online and through devices, check-ins and online comments. All of these experiences need to be part of an integrated, dynamic system so that the guests’ experiences are at the forefront of the marketing and  operational team’s mind.

Marketing, management and hotel developers can no longer work in silos and these technology trends are giving them the opportunities, tools and solutions they need to create memorable experiences that can lead to positive change and growth in the industry.

B2B transactions involve business-to-business.

B2E transactions involve a business and its employees.

C2C transactions involve two or more consumers (customer-to-customer).

The industry can make profits to many countries and pull foreign currencies into the country.

The travel distribution system is currently facing many changes as online agencies such as Priceline, Travelocity, Expedia, etc. have introduced a way to access travel suppliers directly via the worldwide web. In general, Global Distribution Systems have not shown much of an effort toward targeting on-line customers. As an alternative, Customer Relation Systems have remained trustworthy to their travel agency distributors.

The Internet is not the full solution to success in the Hospitality and Tourism industry. However, the Internet is the “overall business answer” across industries

The success of the Hospitality and Tourism industry will depend upon the abilities to identify and answer quickly to current and potential customer needs

Starwood Hotel Group was standing ahead of other Hotels to offer a online “virtual tours” of its properties. This feature provides a site visit to potential guests without having to travel to each property. And now, many well-known hotels are also providing this promotion feature for stand top of the roles to attract potential customers.

Google presented the vision of Internet marketing is likely to grow by 2015. Some of them are worth to be informed and aware about.

50% of ad campaigns will include video ads bought on a cost-per-view basis 50% of ads will be bought using this real-time bidding technology to tailor experiences for different viewers Smartphones / mobile phone will be the number one screen for digital brands to engage users There will be at least 5 metrics that advertisers will regard as more important than the “click” 75% of web ads will be “social” in nature such as facebook. Therefore, Ads will be shared, discussed, subscribed to and recommended Multimedia formats enable great creativity and interaction – these will grow from 6% of display ad impressions to 50%, especially for brand building campaigns Digital display advertising is going to grow to a $50 billion industry This forecast shows that competition to attract potential customers via worldwide web will be more and more drastic.

World Tourism Organization (WTO) estimates that over 1.5 billion tourists would take international journeys in the year 2020.

Airlines have a stronger straight link to customers as they compete directly against travel agents [23]. Furthermore, they could have stronger control over the customers due in part to the e-ticketing. In this respect, online technology has replaced the travel agency by adding value via fare shoppers, promotions, and personalized recommendations

Another e-Commerce model such as Auction style-pricing models are becoming customer preference, where the customer are able to control the price of the products and services to be consumed.

Customers are almost guaranteed that they will obtain the best price by negotiating via an online agent such as Priceline. But a shortcoming to all of this is that the customer will not understand all of the normal benefits of air tickets as they are sacrificed via online auction purchases. For example, in many cases the travel ticket does not permit any changes or accrual of or without significant penalty charges.

Online companies have more of a chance at success in Hong Kong due to the dense population, strong education systems, high credit card and cell phone usage. This leaves room for the future development of the next Priceline or Travelocity in Asia which could pose a major threat to hospitality & tourism organizations. Based on the high volume cell phone usage in Hong Kong, Mobile commerce should be a new trend on next stage. [29]

As low cost computer real-time data, fast speed internet access, voice and video communications become a reality, travel agencies may no longer be needed. On the other hand, the Internet challenge can also mean chance. Hotel owners and operators who understand and master e-commerce or m-commerce challenges will be able to jump ahead of online threats from large players such as Priceline. Otherwise, many will find themselves out of business.

Information Technology tools have allowed travel intermediaries to expand their role in the industry by presenting opportunities to venture into other markets on a geographical level.

Not only should hoteliers focus on the business traveler, but they should also consider whether there are other types of potential target customers as we may find that both young and older generations were sitting in the Internet shops utilizing online services during their vacation as well.

Organizations have to invest in the expertise and equipment (Hardware, Software) for building a strong IT base at first.

Internet security has been a major issue surrounding the Internet community.

Governments are currently addressing Internet based global commerce by considering rules of conduct, guiding principles, laws and taxation. [*30]

Today, hotels are distributing their product via more and more channels. How they keep control of availability and price, maintain a consistent level of customer service, in addition to keep their distribution partners up to date at the same time has becomes a complicated and expensive process.

The core transactions of our business involve intimate face-to-face interactions, which have certain limitations in regard to the use of e-commerce in the hospitality industry compared with other enterprises

It is important to take a look at how Internet technology will affect the future of the tourism industry. Most IT tools are being utilized

The hospitality & tourism internet future suggests a universal system where property management systems will eliminate the need for expensive on-site computer hardware/software.

Future success for hospitality & tourism companies depends upon their abilities to identify a target market and the strategic opportunities available for survival and growth.

It is crucial for hospitality & tourism organizations to stay on top of the roles of the major online players that are posing a serious threat to the industry such as Travelocity, Priceline, Expedia, Yahoo, etc. Their role in the future of hospitality & tourism marketing is crucial to the survival of Hoteliers.

The hotel industry attracts cybercriminals because it handles so many financial transactions in so many countries.

The top threat to hotels is phishing, a scam in which hotel guests may receive fake phone calls claiming to be from the front desk. The caller could claim that there is an issue with the credit card on file and that they need to re-verify the payment method. 

DarkHotel hacks are another significant threat. These target travelers via hotel Wi-Fi. Digital certificates are sent to guests, like a familiar adobe update, which will retrieve sensitive information. Hotel chains are combating these hacks by suggesting that guests use a virtual private network.

Malware (malicious software) is something criminals email employees, under the guise of the attachment or link looking innocent or legitimate. But when the user opens the file or clicks on the link, their system (and more) can be hacked into by the criminal.

IT department should routinely update operating systems and back up data and files, and every employee should double-check sources when asked for software administrative permissions. Also, strong firewalls can limit bad traffic and provide security. 

Software and hardware can help prevent breaches, but employee training is also an essential part of any hotel’s cybersecurity.

only around 35% of airlines and 30% of airports are prepared for cyberattacks.

“Guests can enroll in a service called WebWatcher, which monitors the sites where personal information may be shared and alerts guests if evidence of their personal data is found,”

Hotels are not alone in being targeted by cybercriminals: The airline industry has faced serious cyberattacks as well, and many airlines still aren’t equipped to handle them.

In 2018, a Marriott reservation system was hacked. More than 500 million customer records, including credit card information and passport numbers, were stolen. The company said the hack went back four years prior to the discovery and, when it was noticed, the company started using computer and mobile device monitoring software.

"The proliferated effect of the attack on SITA is yet another example of how vulnerable organizations can be solely on the basis of their connections to third-party vendors,"

The aviation industry faces dangers such as ransomware and distributed-denial-of-service attacks. Following the SITA attack, HackerOne solutions architect Shlomie Liberow stressed that airlines need to prepare for the worst. 

traditional enterprises like airlines have always been an attractive target since few are digital-first businesses, and therefore have relied on legacy software, which is more likely to be out-of-date or have existing vulnerabilities that can be exploited."

The airline industry needs to keep third-party vendors in check when it comes to protecting information. Given the high stakes involved, experts suggest that blind trust is not an option. 

“You simply cannot know whether your third parties meet your company’s security controls and risk appetite until you’ve completed a full vendor security assessment on them,

It’s important to note that the best practice is not a ‘one-and-done’ activity, but through real-time, continuous monitoring.”

In 2015, hackers targeted Polish airline LOT’s ground operations system, affecting 1,400 passengers. The hackers made it impossible to create flight plans and flights. It was the first attack of its kind, and it caused concern about cyberattacks one day remotely taking control of planes.

To address the threat, the standard advice is to back up and store data in multiple places, including off your physical premises, and have one copy of it be offline

Multifactor authentication and long, complicated passwords will take longer to crack. Updating and patching systems regularly helps companies avoid being victimized when a new exploit is discovered.

Treating cybersecurity as a companywide concern, not an IT concern, encourages each employee to take ownership of their actions and knowledge and to seek help proactively instead of making an “innocent” mistake that costs the company millions of dollars.

Finally, companies should avoid simply throwing money at the problem: Not all cybersecurity solutions work together, which wastes money and increases the risk of a breach.

its use in luxury hotels, where the personal touch matters, may well have to be adapted to ensure it is seamless and less impersonal.

consumers’ increasing desire for personalised experiences is expected to continue for years to come.

use of biometric technology such as the facial recognition technology to speed up guests’ check‐in time and thereby improve the customer experience, make processes more efficient and enhance security.

By eliminating the process of performing manual checks on travel documents, the amount of check‐in time is expected to be reduced by up to 70%.

In addition, whilst this may well serve high volume and ‘business’ hotels,

use of hotel robots may yield operational and cost efficiencies to hotels, it is however critical that a balanced approach is adopted by hoteliers to ensure that automation does not supplant quality service hence alienating hotel guests as a consequence

Voice assistants ‐ such as Amazon Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant – are one of the fastest growing technological fields today, becoming commonplace as a feature of the internet of things

According to Hospitality Technology’s 2019 Lodging Technology Study, nearly eight in 10 respondents named voice‐enabled technology as the top choice when asked to identify technology that has the most potential in the near‐future, and 62% of the respondents listed voice technology as a transformative technology that makes an impact.

pop‐up hotels have the agility of providing on‐demand accommodation in locations that traditional hotels could not and/or travelers would not necessarily have access or ease of access to alongside customisable accommodation settings, thereby delivering an entire bespoke guest experience.

the data gathered can be analysed and utilised to enhance the hotel offerings

Separately, hotels could potentially streamline operations processes and thereby improve operational efficiency and achieve cost‐savings through automating some of the daily hotel operations via the voice assistant.

The use of robots within the hotel industry is a form of automation that is becoming more prevalent as hotel chains and individual hotels have become increasingly cognizant that the concept of automation and self‐service is playing an increasingly vital role in the customer experience

voice assistants could potentially be used by hotels to gather actionable insights and feedback

it is imperative that hotels recognise and make it a top priority to address these privacy concerns and adhere to the applicable regulations concurrent to ensuring the quality of the stored data and system

Today, the vast majority of hoteliers are primarily focused on and investing in Guest Services Technology, while underinvesting in Guest Engagement, Acquisition and Retention Technology.

Guest Services Technology

Guest Engagement, Acquisition and Retention Technology

Today’s hoteliers must create and manage a robust digital presence and engage, acquire, service and retain travel consumers in this increasingly mobile-first world.

In other words, hoteliers’ technology focus and investments end where the OTA focus and investment begin.

With nearly 59% of online travelers now visiting the hotel website from mobile devices,

a mobile-first website design is a must.

Mobile-first responsive website with

cloud hosting and CDN (Content Delivery Network) provides far better server response times and faster download speeds.

Quite often different teams at the property use different sets of data in their day-to-day operations, creating a total “data integrity mess,” which directly affects the property’s guest acquisition and retention efforts.

They must understand and invest in digital technology and marketing that enables the best possible user experience, provides the best customer service, increases efficiencies and boosts revenues.

From a technology perspective, the challenge to hoteliers is to create a hotel and room environment that at least matches but preferably exceeds their guests’ home environment. In other words, hotel and room technology, amenities, and features should be the same or better than what guests already enjoy at home. These include:

The future of this technology is the Smart Guestroom which will be completely personalized to guest preferences and loyalty member profile.

“Imagine a world where the room knows you, and you know your room.”

Hoteliers are overwhelmed by the amount of technology, data, and digital marketing silos and the need to work with multitude of vendors in their guest acquisition and services efforts.

Each team has its own technology tools, databases, and vendors which are not in communication with the other teams.

Unlike hoteliers, the OTAs are focused exclusively and investing only in Guest Engagement, Acquisition and Retention Technology since they do not have to worry about on-property technology and guest experiences.

Reluctance to invest in digital technology:

Antiquated accounting in hospitality:

The technology and data fragmentation in hospitality

These are the major impediments to the industry becoming a digital technology-driven and technology-savvy industry:

Recently, an independent hotel introduced room service delivery robots, which would have been great if the rest of the hotel tech stack were in order, and if it weren’t for the 6-year old property website, and absence of any CRM technology.

Hotels should first focus on the fundamentals of the technology stack before implementing more advanced things.

The U.S. hospitality industry is a $155 billion industry. This provides endless opportunities for smart technology vendors to thrive and service the industry with state-of-the-art solutions.

The industry needs fewer, as opposed to more, technology vendors servicing the industry.

The industry has a “vendor deficit disorder” in the sense of being overwhelmed by the number of tech vendors and solutions out there.

Hoteliers need to monitor, proactively inquire about and familiarize themselves with the Next Generation Technologies that are already making their way into hospitality, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Voice Assistants, Chat Bots, Robotics, and Blockchain.

Over the next 3-5 years we will witness wider adoption and implementation of the following next gen technologies:

Unlike hoteliers, the OTAs are focused exclusively and investing only in Guest Engagement, Acquisition and Retention Technology.

Hoteliers must wake up to the fact that by being primarily focused on and investing in Guest Services Technology, while underinvesting in Guest Engagement, Acquisition and Retention Technology, they are allowing the OTAs more visibility to engage, acquire and retain the online travel consumer.

Digital technology is making its way into every aspect of the industry: hotel operations, guest services and communications, revenue management, distribution, CRM and marketing.

Today’s hotelier must understand, know and use digital tech solutions in their everyday environment, and be able to assess, evaluate, recommend and acquire technology solutions to improve guest satisfaction, operational efficiencies and productivity, customer service and revenue.

Website Technology: The property or hotel brand website has become the gravitational center of all hotelier’s efforts to engage, acquire and retain the customer. Any marketing efforts of the hotel today lead the potential customers to the hotel website. Today’s website technology includes cloud-based Content Management System (CMS), comprehensive merchandising suites, reservation abandonment tools, personalization pricing and content, technical SEO, cloud hosting, and robust analytics suite

The goal here is very clear: bridge the guest data and technology silos in hospitality and create an end-to-end solution, empowering hotels to acquire new guests, engage current guests, and retain past guests by combining digital marketing, website, and CRM data into one cohesive marketing and personalization platform.

The “digital way of life” adopted by today’s tech-savvy travel consumer is forcing the hospitality industry to accelerate the adoption of digital technologies and become a 100% digital technology-enabled industry.

An AI-powered phone system can intelligently route calls. Chatbots can answer basic questions online. AI-connected remote check-in systems can allow guests to check into their rooms remotely via a smartphone app and never need to stop at the front desk to begin with.

Without AI, it would be impossible for your team to deliver the level and quality of service that you expect and your guests deserve.

AI is vital to being able to maximize your revenue while automating mundane tasks and reducing the amount of human effort required (and the number of errors caused by humans, as well).

Chances are good that you use a property management system (PMS), as well as a point of sale (POS) system. Both of these are powered by artificial intelligence, which is how they can help you manage bookings, sell add-ons, add them to guests’ bills, and more.

Room rate optimization Dynamic room pricing based on occupancy Updating your rates across multiple channels and OTAs in real-time Comparing your performance and rating to other hotels in the surrounding area

AI is enabling personalization on a much deeper level – one that affects the very core of the guest experience.

Artificial intelligence embedded in the software you use every day, such as your PMS and POS, enables better efficiency, a deeper connection with your guests, and, ultimately, more success for your hotel.

For instance, an AI chatbot added to your Facebook Messenger can answer guests’ questions and take basic information and add it to your database. That can then be used to personalize further interactions with the guest. You might make special offers that speak to their unique needs, such as child-friendly rooms, all-inclusive stays, or experiences that include a room at the hotel, but also tickets to events or shows in the surrounding area.

AI allows you to personalize every aspect of a guest’s stay.

offer unique amenities and services

make informed suggestions from the travel/concierge desk

n fact, data is considered more valuable than any other business asset, including cash.

To put the information you have in hand to use on your hotel’s behalf, you must sort, organize, cleanse, parse, and then transform it into something usable by human beings.

automating all these processes and ensuring that you’re able to surface key insights that speak directly to your ability to reach and engage with guests while staying abreast of current trends in the industry.

to live up to today’s guest expectations, such as less human interaction and more automation (both of which are important for health and safety protocols).

By making use of cloud computing, as a hotelier, you pay only for what you demand. It specifies that your upfront costs are kept low as you are only paying for the computing power and cloud storage which your hotel actually needs.