Hospitality Technology

ChatGPT is a new technology that is hoping to take over the travel industry. It is an AI product, similar to google, which will generate answers to questions that travelers may have via a chat service. It is meant to replace tour guides, travel agents, and concierge experts and can either save business time and money, or create chaos and the need to speak to an expert human instead. Like all technology products, there is always room to improve and grow in the initial stages, and not all roles are better off being completed by a computer, rather than a human. Although AI may have access to more information at a quicker pace, and may even be able to write better than most people, some companies believe that the possible errors and inaccuracy provided by ChatGPT will make content creators and human expertise way more valuable. ChatGPT accesses data from 2021 and prior, which means it is not current and up to date. This is a major flaw that will need to be improved.

Good Morning Emily, Thank you very much for sharing this article! It is a rather interesting one which will certainly generate varying opinions. Me, from a management standpoint, I believe that robotics does have a place in the workplace (a greater presence in manufacturing and less in customer service). Dealing with humans on a luxury vacation tends to enhance my experience. Honestly, I cannot possibly imagine going on a vacation and not having the opportunity to converse with an employee!

This article comes in lieu of the COVID-19 pandemic and originally stems from keeping people safe by having contactless service. With service robots being so popular during the pandemic they started to take the place of actual humans. This can cause issues in customer service where people would prefer human to human interaction. This article also discusses how humans feel about having jobs replaced by robots and their perception on how they feel about working WITH robots.

This article is about Virtual Restaurants, Ghost Kitchens, and the differences between the two. To be honest, I was not really familiar with either of these concepts before today, though I can see the appeal of both and why they are increasing in popularity. It's obvious that the pandemic played a large role in accelerating the popularity and significance of these kinds of services but I do not think things will slow down. It is evident that people like the ability to order a wide variety of food and get it in a timely manner while still retaining its quality. I think that ghost kitchens are a great opportunity for people to test out their restaurant concepts without committing to a long term lease, a large investment in equipment, etc. I think that it will lend to more diversity in delivery food and potentially even higher quality.

Ghost kitchens is such an interesting concept and the name just grabs you! I skimmed through this article and will definitely go back to properly read it once I have the brain capacity to do so haha. Judging from your review on it these are becoming popular and significant in our day in age.

This article focuses on six trends that are redefining the hospitality industry. These trends are; gamification of travel planning, virtual reality tours, going contactless, chatbot as digital concierge, IoT for room control, and location-based services. Companies must evolve in the world of technology in order to meet customer demands. In effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, travelers now prefer self-service such as contactless check in. The incorporation of this technology, minimizes huma error and maximizes efficiency. Gamification of travel planning: By using game like templates in their websites, travel companies are able to capitalize on human motivation. When customers able to get rewards, brand awareness, customer loyalty, and revenue are improved. Virtual Reality Tours: Virtual reality tours help travelers to enjoy their future destination before they arrive. They also help with brand experience as they create mental imagery and presence. Going Contactless: Contactless check in, mobile keys, and digital payments all increased by 66 percent due to the pandemic. This however, is here to stay as this decreases staff dependency. Chatbot as a Digital Concierge: Chatbot is a simple way to meet guest demands 24/7. With FAQ, guests can get an answer to their question in a matter of seconds at any time of the day without needing to leave their room. IoT for Room Control and Customization: IoT allows guests to have a home away from home by personalizing their rooms by changing the color of the lights, temperature, etc. Location-Based Services: With location based services, travelers are able to find activities and amenities wherever they are staying. This can offer more intuitive local recommendations without needing staff assistance.

Hello Alejandra. I really enjoyed reading this article, thank you for sharing! Although I am a germaphobe, and number three (Going contactless) appealed to me on a certain level, the points that stood out to me the most were; number two (Virtual reality tours) and number four (Chatbot as a digital concierge). I am one of the individuals who check reviews of places before I make a reservation but taking the virtual reality tour would give me more assurance of the property because individuals have different expectations and standards so what may be appropriate for them, may not be for me. The Chatbot as a digital concierge is quite convenient for both guests and hotels, hence it will ensure a more comfortable and relaxing stay.

This article is on Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) and what the future of the work environment could be. Based on the information published, employers would have the ability to leverage brain activities to effect greater productivity in the workplace. However, since BCIs are capable of detecting the mental state and thoughts of employees, there are many privacy and ethical issues that will certainly be derived from the use of these types of technologies.

The article highlights major points of the next one hundred years for disruptors and innovators in the hospitality industry during a keynote webinar among female leaders at Cornell Nolan School of Business. According to one of the keynote speakers, Professor Kim, there is a difference between innovator and disruptor. Innovators create "new products, processes, or business models to create value for customers or employees," while disruptors "significantly change how the industry works". We are all aware of the major disruptor to the hotel industry which is Airbnb; however, according to the article, there are other disruptors such as CitizenM, a modular hotel company and Sonder, a short-term rental company. However, these disruptors should not be seen as competition because most start-ups actually fail. Hotels should rather make space for the disruptors and focus on enhancing on their companies' strengths. It is recommended that hotels formalize specialized teams that can create new products to build on the hotel's strengths. Personally, I believe that it is possible for smaller hotels to work in partnership with local Airbnbs. To do this, they can offer a specialized program with reputable Airbnb owners to offer their place as a recommendation with the same hotel perks if the hotel is fully booked. In this way, the hotel can take a percentage of profits rather than losing all profits to another hotel. Nonetheless, the implementation of cell phones is a driving force for innovation and disruption in the hospitality industry creating more convenience for guests. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic is still driving innovation such as contactless technology, work from home arrangements, Virtual reality and Metaverse. In conclusion, the panelists commented that future disruptions are unpredictable, and companies must look at both smaller and larger companies for changes.

This article discusses the top 10 communication trends in hotel technology. It shows that the role technology plays in hotel will only continue to grow because like mentioned a lot of activities directly or indirectly use technology. Some of these trends include things like service automation, guest apps, and location based services. These advances will allow hotel staff to be more focused on customer satisfaction and improving hotel operations.

This article discusses some of the main trends that will advance the hospitality industry throughout the new year. It covers many of the topics we discussed in the lecture, such as virtual reality, the importance of innovation, and key modernization concepts. It also talks about subjects relating to sustainability and green topics that will drive how the hospitality industry plans to remain a carbon-managed entertainment option.

This lengthy article provides a grim outlook for the lowly skilled/paid worker in the workforce when technology has been applied to improve outcomes in management. The article insinuates that companies/employers benefit likely at the expense of employees who are affected by technological innovation. Three key points are emphasized in that surveillance capitalism, disruption innovation and techno-solutionism are behind the pushout of low-skilled workers. And companies are not providing a solution to improving a sustainable economy and sustainable workforce which are goals of the United Nations. However, the United Nation's goals are not keeping up with societal trends. Surveillance Capitalism can be construed as digital monitoring in the workplace. Used as a way to control and manipulate performance outcomes which may shift to automation if employees don't perform. Further disruption innovation is defined as a "disruptive product that has particular benefits that focus on the cheap and easy that have the power to overturn markets". This is seen with automating basic tasks in food service such as ordering. Finally, the use of technology as an excuse to "rationalize" cost-cutting/management changes is what is considered Techno-solutionism. This article highlights various technologies already in use in the industry, most with much success and a few that did not pan out. Trial and error, but at the cost of retaining employees.

Tourism is paying a heavy price to accommodate a growing trend making "people" expendable. The competition isn't comparable and unless we change our processes and thinking in how we use technology more jobs will be gone. We can't be an all-knowing, 24/7 never tires robot. The industry is undermining the value of a person. Ridding themselves of them has larger implications for society and our future. Eventually, it could be us too. What value do we offer? And how do we enhance humans over technology?

Technology and Event Management

As the hospitality industry embraces the need to optimize performance with technology, it, therefore, assigns technology a significant role in its productivity. The article thus engages an appeal of how technology is monetized to aid the success of next-generation hotel sales and event management software. With the alteration of the market to fit and adopt the use of technology, it increases its chances of seizing opportunities to aid in the determination of space utilization, to better capitalize on the in-demand spaces that are available. The suitability of having to compare multiple venues, for cost and suitability aligns with the nature of overcoming the shortcomings of the market. Thus, the article is rudimental in highlighting such cases.

The article recommends tighter regulations and corporate accountability as means to limit e-waste production and facilitate a cultural shift. E-waste production is set to increase rapidly and will see a 40% increase in quantity by 2030 unless checks are put in place. Creating green electronics has been discussed as an important step as manufacturers have been urged to use biodegradable components in their devices. The article further encourages businesses to promote circularity while highlighting that the responsibility also falls on consumers to adopt better practices. Public education is discussed as a critical tool to make populations aware while consumer electronics brands have been urged to make devices that are easy to disassemble and repair to increase longevity.

This article addresses the growing environmental, financial, and political issues involved with e-waste. It provides predictions on the future of e-waste if it continues at its dangerous rate. An analysis of e-waste and how it can be reduced is also included.

This article breaks down several methods of location-based marketing and the ways they can be applied. They provide recommendations on how hospitality businesses can implement this technology to their advantage.

With the advancement of technology in the hospitality sector, much has been adopted to fit the new environment. And as technology aid, the interactive sense of technology across hospitality, some of the major trends that have begun to manifest are shaping the industry and the sector. Technology modified the advancement of utilities and different facilities to transition from electronic to digital in the 21st century. And thus, evoking the need for keyless entry. Hotels with integrated technology can allow guests to access their rooms through smartphones, kiosks, and sometimes plastic cards as keys. The initialization of voice command services such as Amazon's Alexa has been brought to offer a comforting experience as guests can interact and request reservations through Alexa. Robots have been used to adjust the scenes and operations of smart hotels. Thus, every facility within the environment becomes accessible in a digital way. This is also supported by advanced security and digital amenities, which offer numerous growth opportunities.

Augmented reality has changed the way facilities management functions. AR technology has capabilities of tracking preventative maintenance check-ups and wearable technology to provide instructions to engineers. These systems also store and maintain work order statuses and relay communications to other team members and departments.

This article tells us how Augmented Reality (AR) is a major tool for the Hotel Industry. AR can be used for interactive hotel rooms, augmented hotel environments, and Beacon technology. AR is the key for providing information to guest before and once they arrive to improve their experience.

The chosen article provides an overview of proximity marketing and its benefits for improved consumer satisfaction and loyalty. Particularly, the article suggests that proximity marketing helps to personalize the consumer experience and provide a sense of connectedness with the brand they are purchasing from. Businesses that manage from a specific location may issue coupons or offer discounts applicable to the consumers within a store to enhance purchasing experiences. Proximity marketing is commonly implemented by hospitality organizations, where various on-site events are arranged or individual purchase-based rewards are offered to consumers. Similarly, restaurants engage their consumers in fun activities and games as well as introduce new discounts and promotions while they wait for food. Real-estate businesses also use proximity marketing to create high-value where need and preference-based homes, office spaces, and rentals are offered. However, advertisers need to be aware of consumer preferences to offer useful and effective personalized services. Geo-targeting is an impactful proximity advertising technique where location data is used to tailor offerings as per the identified local trends and behaviors.

*The hotel industry has incorporated exponential technology for its improvements in cost and performance -an implementation that evolved rapidly during the pandemic that hasn't been seen before. *Smart technology has offered benefits to customers and staff while elevating the guest experience on a personalized hospitality way.

This article shares opportunities for the introduction of augmented reality in the hospitality setting. These modernized methods will allow hospitality properties to stand out from competitors. Guests will also have an improved experience with this technology in place.

The article discusses 5 potential use cases of artificial intelligence with a focus on travel and hospitality. The first example is of driverless vehicles and airplanes and the second speaks of AI receptionists and robot concierges. Other examples include AI-powered travel agents that use deep learning and create customized holiday packages for guests in the future. Biometric recognition as a replacement for passports has also been discussed along with using AI for green tourism. In general, the article highlights the role of AI technologies in improving travel efficiency and sustainability while acknowledging that there are pitfalls and that these technologies still require years of development.

Technology has amassed influence in different and dynamic sectors of the economy. Tourism has become the following field that Artificial Intelligence and robotics seem to merge their roles and optimize service and customer experience to evade any current challenges and change the sector. Through a systematic review of AI and robotics as emerging study designs in tourism, radical complementary dimensions to the future of tourism prompt a proactive strategy to make travel arraignments simpler, customized, automated and insightful. As AI allows continuous learning for machines, the introspective field will monetize such knowledge to learn about travellers' behaviours and interests to inclined personal experience. Tourism marketing needs a positive and improved change that will undoubtedly venture into a safe world from the infective Covid-19 pandemic and enhance expertise in applying Robotics and AI. The infrastructure of tourism as a sector with destinations, hotels, and travelling will be endowing the use of AI to prompt it to surpass human performance. Through AI, a wide range of information will be collected, stored and utilized to calibrate the center of satisfaction in the experience shared. Devices such as Virtual Reality, Facial recognition, Chatbots, Google maps, robots, and language translators are set to give the first experience in regulating destinations and facilities and optimizing services within the sector.

DoorDash unveils that it is testing in-app reservations for local restaurants. It's emerging as a new restaurant technology in partnership with small local restaurants, DoorDash, and SevenRooms. This feature will give Doordash an edge over other food delivery services, while also supporting small restaurants.