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"I think that you will begin to see more hotels going to RFID and smartphone entry before using biosystem recognition," says Wolfe. "These systems are expensive, and there are many consumers who just don't want this information stored somewhere -- for a variety of reasons."

Systems that track the other qualities that make each human unique are in development as well.

Yet more card-free security systems are on the way.

Many industry watchers are keeping an eye on Houston's largest hotel, the vast 1,200-room Hilton Americas–Houston. The hotel has a facial recognition system that can identify and track guests, employees, and even suitcases. With 700 employees and an annual $16 million payroll, the system offers benefits such as employee time-theft monitoring and prevention for the hotel. But travelers aren't that concerned about employees taking an extra cigarette break. What it means for you is that the system includes alerts if unwanted people are on the property and a response time of mere seconds if there's an incident. Customer service is heightened as well: Returning guests will be recognized and greeted by name. And with 1,200 rooms worth of luggage in transit, the system makes it a lot easier to find lost or misdirected bags.

not everyone wants to be on-camera, all the time. With concerns about "snooping" and a Truman Show-like lack of privacy, might guests feel that systems such as this are too intrusive in our hotels? "

Technology is opening new doors to hotel safety, and the way we navigate hotels is set to change in the blink of an eye. Or the swipe of a cellphone. Or the print of a finger. With futuristic systems like scent and iris scanners and digital facial-recognition, hotel security is being taken to the next level. #plain_module { width: 590px; height:170px; border: none; float:left; margin:0px; font-size:12px;} #plain_module img {border:none; width: 13px; height:14; border: 0px; margin:0px; } #plain_module .mini_main { margin: 0px; padding:0px; width:585px; height:220px; repeat scroll 0 0} #plain_module .mini_item_header {padding:10px 0px; margin: 0px 0px; font-size:16px; color: #555555; border-bottom:1px dotted #CCCCCC;} #plain_module .mini_item {padding:5px 0px; margin: 0px 0px;} #plain_module a { color: #49A3CA; text-decoration:none; } #plain_module a:hover { color: #F98419; text-decoration:underline;} span.gray {color:#949494;} .mini_main li{list-style-type: none;background-image: url(http://www.aolcdn.com/travel/bullet);background-repeat: no-repeat;background-position: 0 1px;padding-left: 10px;} Those plastic key cards that once seemed so innovative will soon go the way of the actual key. The new thing is contact-less Smartcards and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) cards that need just be waved to allow room access. Much like the cruise world's one card system, these cards may soon make hotel stays easier by allowing guests to pay for services, as well as to check-in and check-out, through a single device. Travelers may even be able to save preferences on the cards, from pillow type to floor choice. RFID cards are already in use at New York's Plaza Hotel, and Starwood Hotels are considering introducing them into their hip Aloft and Element properties. But travelers worried they will constantly have to traipse back to reception every time they lose their card need not despair. Security systems in some hotels do away with cards altogether. "In addition to Radio Frequency Identification, there are also systems that use a smartphone, such as an iPhone," says Frank Wolfe, CEO of Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals. "When a guest checks into a hotel and provides their phone number, they get an encrypted sound code via text message." You can then play back the code to unlock your room door.

Systems that track the other qualities that make each human unique are in development as well. Movement-activated video-capture systems were showcased in New Zealand in September 2010. Researchers are at work on devices capable of recognizing an individual's gait or walk and even their DNA. Frank Wolfe says, "If you want to go 'way out there', there are some systems being explored that can allegedly sniff someone, and also systems that can recognize the pattern of blood veins on a human being which are apparently unique to the individual," says Wolfe. Quite common in Japan, vascular-recognition systems such as this are still "several years off," according to Wolfe. "I think that you will begin to see more hotels going to RFID and smartphone entry before using biosystem recognition," says Wolfe. "These systems are expensive, and there are many consumers who just don't want this information stored somewhere -- for a variety of reasons."

Prosecutors said the 33-year-old ripped off Microsoft by manufacturing 28,000 counterfeit discs with the company’s Windows operating system on them. He was convicted of conspiracy and copyright infringement, which brought a 15-month prison sentence and a $50,000 fine.

2. Build Your Credibility

Let’s face it – there are unscrupulous hotels who don’t care an iota about their guests. They trick their guests, overpromising in terms of their facilities and amenities and delivering sub-par service. This is why a lot of travelers have developed a healthy level of skepticism toward hotels and this is why it is important that you convey credibility on your website.

3. Make It Extremely Easy To Book a Room in Your Hotel

4. Display Customer Service Channels Prominently

7. Ensure That Your Website is Mobile Friendly

5. Make Your Website Easy to Navigate

6. Have a Single Call to Action Per Page

Best e-commerce practice dictates that you should always be reachable to answer questions from those who want to book a room with your hotel, but need their questions answered first. Not having this information prominently displayed on your site can spell a difference between a non-booking and a successful booking.

8. Ensure That Your Website is Secure for Financial Transactions

The Internet is always under attacked by various security threats and one of the issues that always make people wary is the security of their financial information online. This is why it is important for you to demonstrate that your website can handle financial transactions safely.

9. Always Have an Email Collection Mechanism in Place

10. Use Persuasion Elements

Indeed, according to Scot Campbell, chief information officer for MGM Mirage, the core of a hotel's 'cool' factor is technology. Campbell says that "we are building rooms where everything is on a network."

While there are many tantalizing new applications hotels can invest in to take advantage of ubiquitous connectivity, we see the following eight technologies delivering the best ROI and competitive advantage.

1. Digital check-in

Guests will be able to check-in from a kiosk or a touch-screen display in the lobby, just as passengers do in an airport concourse.

2. Secure, reliable and scalable Wi-Fi connections throughout

The push now is to make Wi-Fi easier, more reliable, and secure―all the while being compliant with Payment Card Industry (PCI) and other Federal and state law enforcement requirements (e.g. the Communications Assistance to Law Enforcement Act). Secure and flawlessly managed connectivity throughout the premises will be mandatory.

3. The smartphone operated hotel

Room numbers and entry codes will be sent directly to cellphones for easy, keyless entry. Not only is this a solution to guests losing their keys, it also prevents serious security risks that come with magnetic key strips that store personal information, such as social security and credit card numbers.

For example, Marriott Hotels booked $1 million in revenues in the first 100 days after the launch of its mobile website in 2009. Mobile bookings were particularly important in supporting last minute bookings and moving expiring inventory, as about one-third of the mobile bookings were for same-night stays.

4. The television as in-room control center

The in-room display will even allow customers to set preferences for lighting and temperature.

5. Guest sensors

Energy efficiency is important―both to the environmentally conscious consumer, as well as the economically conscious hotel manager.

Not coincidentally, the Aria has received the highest certification from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), and 5 Green Keys from the Green-Key Eco Rating Program.

6. Restaurant display ordering

Using touch screens in restaurants increases the efficiency of staff, and being able to use dynamic graphics and displays enables the chef to promote specials and upsell on orders

7. Digital employee communications

Hotels will increasingly use digital learning to keep employees informed about everything from shift responsibilities, to updates on occupancy rates, to the next wave of convention attendees and security needs.

hese 20-minute audio and video modules can be viewed in the hotel or on mobile devices, and be

cause they are video-based, they are inexpensive to update and translate into languages other than English. High employee turnover rates are part of the hospitality industry, so having an efficient, consistent training solution is critical

8. Multiple data streams, running through multiple networks that can be both secure and shared

Each of these data streams will need to be highly available―that is, a hotel cannot afford to have the system 'go down'. Network performance will have to be optimal as travelers will expect transactions to happen in real-time. And most importantly, all this data will need to be secure. PCI compliance requires a high level of security for each transaction. Information needs to be able to flow securely and efficiently with built-in redundancy.

According to iProspect, a search engine marketing firm, two thirds of consumers begin their shopping experience―including hotel shopping experience―online

A key part of competing in the new marketplace is having the technical capability to capture every consumer touch-point opportunity on the hotel grounds―from the time they step into the lobby, to the time they leave for the next destination.

now Safety Procedures

Keep Your Guests Informed

For example, if you have an intelligent access control system, each guest needs to know that their key card grants them entry to the pool, gym and any other areas that are solely for hotel patrons. It's also important that a hotel guest does not hold the door open for a person who's directly behind him, as this individual might not be a paid hotel guest. If all hotel staff knows the script word for word, this procedure becomes an integral part of hotel check-in. That way, all guests know they've been apprised of their responsibilities in keeping themselves and their valuables safe.

One technology that the majority of these organizations are investing in is event management software.

The Stand-Alone LTE device offers hotels an all-in-one solution capable of protecting employees both on and off property without the need for a tethered smart device.

Sidekick

s designed to pair with company-issued mobile devices to provide a truly seamless safety solution for the mobile workforce

BLE beacon device is a discreet, easy to conceal device that allows our safety platform to deliver precise room level location accuracy indoors in multi-story buildings.

In a crisis scenario, hotel staff can press their React Mobile Sidekick panic button to transmit an SOS signal.

making personal safety accessible at the touch of a button

mmediately identify the precise location of an incident.

Bluetooth beacons placed throughout the property,

a Stand-alone LTE panic button, which transmits the same, location-specific information

apable of connecting to any available cellular network, and is compatible with third-party hardware.

better reliability and lower service costs for hoteliers.

the system relies on GPS coordinates to follow an incident in real-time, relaying that information back to support services

BLE 5.0 Beacon provides incredibly precise location information even within a high-rise building.

he device identifies the closest BLE beacon. It then reports the precise room number and GPS coordinates,

o remedy any concerns, hotel properties will be expected to adopt frequent and stringent disinfection measures of guest rooms and public areas, with some staff members dedicated solely to the upkeep of new protocols.

housekeeping department

ill be more integral to successful operations than ever before. Ultimately, workers should feel confident, and with the peace of mind of knowing that help is just a click away,

Augmented reality is often compared to virtual reality (VR), but while VR replaces the real-world environment with a completely virtual one, augmented reality enhances the real-world environment in real-time.

The technology itself can be deployed in a number of ways, including through smartphones, tablet devices or headsets.

(i.e. their hotel and its rooms), or enhance the experience of exploring the surrounding area.

Augmented reality technology can make a lot of this information readily available to customers at all times of the day, improving their entire experience.

Today, millennials are the dominant consumer generation and they are also more likely than previous generations to utilise digital technology and buy things like virtual reality and augmented reality devices.

1. Interactive Hotel Rooms

An example of this is seen with The Hub Hotel from Premier Inn in the United Kingdom, which has started using AR in conjunction with wall maps placed in its hotel rooms.

2. Gamification

3. Augmented Hotel Environments

For example, Holiday Inn created an augmented reality hotel experience, which allowed guests to point their smartphone and see realistic virtual depictions of famous celebrities in the hotel.

Meanwhile, Best Western experimented with augmented reality and Disney stars, allowing children to see themselves alongside characters from Disney films, and other hotels have used AR apps to allow guests to virtually redecorate.

4. Beacon Technology

Virtual Reality & Artificial Intelligence

The Hub Hotel from Premier Inn in the United Kingdom, which has started using AR in conjunction with wall maps placed in its hotel rooms.

allows hotels and other related businesses to enhance the physical environment they are selling

ugmented reality is often compared to virtual reality (VR), but while VR replaces the real-world environment with a completely virtual one, augmented reality enhances the real-world environment in real-time.

Holiday Inn created an augmented reality hotel experience, which allowed guests to point their smartphone and see realistic virtual depictions of famous celebrities in the hotel

Starwood Hotels, for instance, used the technology to send a virtual key to guests, allowing them to unlock their door through their phone. Others have used beacons to send maps and other information at opportune moments.

Many have pinpointed improved legislation, advancement in recycling technologies, increased education, and more convenient recycling programs for resolving the electronic waste crisis. Some companies have already jumped on the bandwagon toward finding improved recycling methods.

The Washington-based company behind Redbox and Coinstar has developed a line of ecoATM kiosks, where consumers can conveniently sell their old phones for cash on the spot where they already shop.

he primary difference between beacons and geofencing is that beacon uses Bluetooth to communicate, whereas geofencing uses GPS signals shared with a smartphone.

Brands can easily choose a location to send push notifications to the customers’ mobile phone when he enters, leaves, or is around that location.

Improving the rate of app retention is the goal of all brands that have a mobile app. Implementing proximity marketing through beacons is an effective way to increase customer loyalty and improve customer retention

The popular brand Macy used a beacon-triggered mobile game app to make the shopping experience more engaging and exciting for the visitors. Buyers received a notification for participating in the game and winning $1 million worth of gifts and discounts from the brand.

or instance, when a customer receives a message that a clothing store near his location offers a 30% discount, he will be inclined to visit the store since he won’t have to cover a considerable distance to reach there. Moreover, when he gets there, he might avail the offers by shopping from the business.

Proximity marketing is also used for retargeting the customers who intend to leave the store without buying anything or who showed interest in particular products.

Loyalty programs are an excellent way to make your customers shop from you. Customers love to earn loyalty points to redeem those points by getting a discount from the brand or winning a gif

eploying proximity marketing will help your business outshine your rivals, attract more customers to your store, and boost sales.

ustomers are a crucial reason for the success or failure of a business

hoteliers can also measure the response of their advertisements, and advertising messages can be tailored based on the hotel or advertising partner's needs in real-time

this interactive marketing engagement is the marriage of digital and mobile marketing used to deliver content to guests' mobile devices in a contextually relevant environment

The messages are automatically delivered to the guest's cell phone whenever they approach a certain distance (from 3 to 300 feet) of the TV in their room, or any digital signage in the hotel property,

Proximity marketing has tremendous revenue-producing potential, allowing hotels to deepen their connection with guests, encourage more loyalty and greatly improve the customer experience:

new opportunity for hoteliers to increase revenues by advertising to a captive audience that craves information and interaction

it is clear that the future of hotel marketing is ready to evolve

offering hotels and advertisers increased customer engagement, interaction and exclusivity. B

y adding proximity marketing into the mix, hoteliers can encourage guests to react to an advertisement immediately, create repeat business, and in turn generate larger ROI for hotel advertisers.

allows digital signs to 'talk and interact' with nearby mobile devices, providing mobile users with information and incentives at exactly the time they need them

Proximity marketing provides a tool to reach guests beyond just traditional advertising campaigns by adding to existing digital signage and television advertising