In the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis and the rise of the digital age, the hospitality sector is constantly evolving. This industry is now filled up with solutions that cater to the diverse needs of guests, making guest experience optimization easier than ever.
Therefore, the competition across various sub-sectors of hospitality like – hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, and more, is getting intense,
These new technologies in the hospitality industry make every brand strive to elevate its own guest experience, and the importance of new technology in the hospitality industry has never been more significant, especially when it comes to streamlining operations.
Staying updated on the ever-evolving technology trends of 2023 in the hospitality industry is crucial for you as hotel operators and business owners. Discover the latest hotel technology trends aimed at enhancing operations, improving the guest experience, and increasing bookings through this blog!
Table of Contents
What is Technology in the Hospitality Industry?
The new technology in the hospitality industry refers to technological advances in giving solutions within the hospitality industry. The goal is to increase or shape better not just the guest experience, but also the efficiency of customer service roles, including hoteliers, servers, tour guides, and more.
Undeniably, no doubt technology can be a significant asset for hotels and restaurants. By selecting appropriate solutions and utilizing them proficiently, you can elevate your operational efficiency, productivity, and ultimately, the guest experience.
Read Also: How Luxury Trends Encourage Hotel Personalization
Why is The Implementing Technology Essential for the Hospitality Industry?
Given the intense competition within the hospitality sector, incorporating technology is essential to keeping pace with the latest industry trends.
The two keys major for this technology hospitality shift are: enhancing guest experiences and improving operational efficiency.
Let’s explore why the integration of technology is vital for the hospitality industry:
For Guest Experience
Time-Efficiency
The introduction of technology in hospitality services significantly reduces unnecessary wait times and accelerates service delivery.
Feeling Luxurious
Luxury in the hospitality industry is synonymous with personalized experiences. The latest technologies like AI & big data analytics, can analyze guest preferences and behavior patterns to deliver tailored experiences that go beyond the standard offerings.
Safety and Hygiene
In the post-COVID era, contactless services like digital menus, mobile payments, and keyless entry provide guests with a sense of safety by minimizing physical contact.
Convenience
Technology like mobile apps and online portals provide guests with an easy way to make reservations, check in or out, request services, and more. They can have control over their experience right from their devices.
24/7 Support
With technology like AI-powered chatbots, guests can receive instant answers to their inquiries at any time of day.
This kind of technology is programmed with a vast amount of information about your hospitality business and are capable of answering a wide range of questions improving your hospitality brands service quality
Increased Comfort
In today’s hospitality industry, comfort extends beyond just a cozy bed. It’s about creating a home-away-from-home experience that allows guests to personalize their surroundings to their preferences.
With today’s technology, guests can customize their environment to their liking, where they are able to control lighting, temperature, and entertainment systems. This level of control allows them to adjust their surroundings to match their comfort preferences.
Improved Communication
With digital platforms, guests can easily communicate with hotel staff, request services, and provide feedback. This tech-savvy communication helps to quickly address any issues, leading to increased customer satisfaction
For Hospitality Business
Improved Efficiency
Technology can help hotels and restaurants to operate more efficiently by automating tasks, such as check-in and checkout, and providing real-time data about operations.
Increased Productivity
Technology can help hotels and restaurants increase productivity by allowing employees to focus on more important tasks, such as providing excellent customer service.
Reduced Costs
Technology can help hotels and restaurants to reduce costs by automating tasks, such as energy management, and providing real-time data about operations.
What Technology Development Are Most Currently Needed to be Implemented?
Restaurant
The restaurant industry has always been quick to adapt to new technologies to improve operations and service delivery, especially after COVID-19
The current technological developments that are essential to implement are involved in increasing convenience through contactless services. This shift minimizes physical interaction, thereby maximizing safety and operational efficiency.
Or, technologies that simplify the process of ordering, payment processing, and order management are crucial. These enhancements boost operational efficiency, allow personalized interactions, and offer incentives that cultivate customer loyalty and encourage repeat business.
Hotel / Villa / Resort
Tech enhancements not only improve guest satisfaction from the browsing stage to the stay itself but also strengthen operational efficiency.
The need for technology that offers personalized recommendations for marketing and service cannot be overlooked. These technological solutions can boost guest satisfaction and contribute to generating recurring business bookings.
Read Also: Personalization to Optimizing Hotel Guest Experience Journey
Travel
Recent research by Northstar – Amedeus Future travel trends will persistently evolve with these technological innovations, making journeys more tailored, reachable, and convenient. While travelers anticipate that technology will solve travel issues by 2033, this expectation also raises concerns about potential cyberattacks and data security, marking these as the top worries for travelers looking towards 2033
Therefore the implementation of robust cybersecurity measures within travel-related technology solutions is an absolute necessity
The Latest Technology Trends in the Hospitality Industry
After understanding each industry need from technology here are the latest technology that has been implemented and solve the problems above :
Contactless Payments
Contactless payments have emerged as a game-changer in the hospitality industry. The worldwide contactless payments market is projected to hit the $5 trillion mark by 2027, with the hospitality industry contributing a substantial portion to this growth.
Contactless payments are increasing operational efficiency and enhancing the guest experience. They speed up the check-out process at hotels and make bill payments seamless in restaurants. Some luxury hotels even allow guests to pay for services through a single app, eliminating the need for cash or cards entirely.
Chatbots
Chatbots in the hospitality industry serve as virtual concierges, answering queries, handling reservations, and providing recommendations, all in real time. For example, a hotel guest could ask the chatbot about the amenities, request room service, or inquire about local attractions, providing a seamless and personalized guest experience.
Virtual Reality
The application of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) in the hospitality industry, particularly within hotels, is a way to offer a unique way to stay competitive and create memorable experiences for customers. Virtual Reality is being used to create another way for the hospitality business to introduce or improve the booking process.
This technology allows potential guests to experience a location through 360-degree video technology before making a booking.
For instance, they can explore hotel rooms or local attractions in a fully immersive manner. Moreover, VR experiences are now being provided as in-room entertainment options or as innovative marketing tools, enabling potential tourists to virtually tour a destination’s highlights.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the hotel industry enhances customer service by creating personalized experiences through data analysis, optimizes operations with predictive analytics, and enables AI-powered smart rooms for a customized guest experience. AI thus boosts efficiency, guest satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness in hotels.
Internet of Things (IoT)
In hotels, IoT technology can offer guests a personalized stay. For instance, they can control room temperature, lighting, and entertainment systems using their smartphone. For hotel management, IoT devices can provide real-time updates on room status, enhancing staff efficiency and facilitating predictive maintenance.
Robots in Hotels & Restaurants
Robots in the hospitality industry are enhancing service efficiency and providing a unique experience for guests. Some luxury hotels use robots for room service deliveries, while restaurants are using robotic chefs for the precise and consistent preparation of dishes.
Mobile Check-In
Mobile check-in allows guests to skip the traditional front desk registration. They can check in to their room via a mobile app, make special requests, and even use their smartphone as a digital room key, offering a frictionless and contactless experience.
NFC Key Cards
NFC key cards or smartphone-based digital keys are replacing traditional hotel room keys. Guests can simply tap their card or phone to unlock their rooms, elevating security and eliminating the risk of lost or demagnetized key cards.
Big Data Developments
Big data is helping hotels and restaurants anticipate customer needs and preferences. It can analyze past booking patterns, seasonal trends, and customer reviews, enabling businesses to optimize their services, marketing strategies, and pricing.
Cloud PMS
Cloud-based Property Management Systems centralize all operations, allowing staff to access real-time information from any device, anywhere. This streamline functions like reservation management, billing, inventory management, and guest communications, improving operational efficiency.
Revenue Management System
Revenue Management Systems in the hospitality industry use AI and machine learning to forecast demand and optimize pricing. By considering factors like booking trends, events, and competitor prices, RMS helps hotels maximize their revenue during peak periods and minimize losses during slow periods.
Smart Energy Management
Smart energy management systems in hotels can automate the control of lighting, heating, and cooling based on room occupancy, reducing energy waste. Additionally, these systems can provide real-time data on energy consumption, enabling hotels to implement more effective sustainability practices.
Online Review Management
In the hospitality industry, online review management tools are crucial in maintaining a hotel or restaurant’s online reputation. They allow businesses to respond promptly to feedback, engage with guests, and use insights from reviews to improve their services. As a result, they can attract more bookings and enhance customer loyalty.
Examples of Big Brand Leveraging Technology in Hospitality
Hilton Norfolk: Touchless Check In
A significant technological innovation that has gained traction in recent years, particularly accelerated by the pandemic, is touchless check-in technology.
Hilton Norfolk is a prime example of this advancement, offering guests the convenience and safety of checking in without any physical interaction.
This system allows guests to check in via their mobile devices, significantly reducing the need for human interaction and therefore increasing the health and safety aspect.
It also brings about numerous other benefits. Firstly, it frees up staff time, enabling them to focus more on providing a stellar guest experience rather than handling repetitive administrative tasks.
Additionally, it enhances guest satisfaction as it helps avoid lengthy queues at reception, allowing guests seamlessly begin their stay as soon as they arrive, without any delays.
Henn-na Hotel: The First Robot-Staffed Hotel
The emergence of robot-staffed hotels like Henn-na marks an exciting development in the hospitality industry.
Henn-na Hotel, opened near Nagasaki, Japan, offering a unique hospitality experience that quickly caught the public’s attention. The hotel, designed to be the most efficient hotel in the world, aims to reduce manpower by having 90% of the staff composed of robots, introducing a new concept of robotic hospitality
Upon arriving at Henn-na Hotel, guests are greeted by an uncannily lifelike girl robot at reception, with a sign indicating her services are for Japanese-speaking guests only
The hotel’s other robots include a giant mechanical arm that securely stores guests’ luggage in individual drawers for a small fee. There’s also a robot that explains the hotel’s breakfast times and locations and can order taxis for guests. Additionally, robot “porters” – rechargeable luggage trolleys – are available to transport luggage for guests in one of the hotel’s luxury wings
Each room in Henn-na Hotel features Chu-ri-chan, a cute electronic creature that sits on the bedside table. Chu-ri-chan is equipped with facial recognition software, allowing guests to enter their rooms without a key.
How to Implement Technology for Success in Hospitality?
Being on the top of your games in the hospitality industry by implementing technology is important but understanding your business situations and needs is still the most important part. Avoid falling victim to the fear of missing out (FOMO).
Here are some valuable tips to guide you in selecting the appropriate technology solutions for your hospitality business:
- Start by identifying your needs: What are your biggest challenges? What do you hope to achieve by investing in technology?
- Do your research: There are a variety of hospitality technology solutions on the market. It is important to compare different solutions and choose the ones that are right for your business.
- Get quotes from multiple vendors: Once you have identified a few potential solutions, get quotes from multiple vendors. This will help you to compare prices and features.
- Make sure the solutions are scalable: As your business grows, you may need to upgrade your technology solutions. Make sure the solutions you choose are scalable so that you can easily add new features and functionality as needed.
Hospitality Technology Innovation Predictions
As we delve into the realm of hospitality technology innovation, one crucial consideration is the privacy aspect and the level of data guests are willing to share. Therefore, finding the right balance is essential.
It is important that technology solutions maintain the authenticity and genuine human touch within the hospitality experience. While technology enhances efficiency and convenience, it should never overshadow the personal interactions and warmth that guests expect from their hospitality encounters. Technology also plays a significant role in promoting physical and environmental well-being.
Therefore, hoteliers can anticipate the following predictions for hospitality technology innovation:
- Privacy Considerations: Future technology solutions will need to strike a balance between providing valuable services and respecting guest privacy. Stricter data protection measures and transparent data usage policies will likely become standard practices.
- Well-being Management: Technology will increasingly empower individuals to manage their own well-being during their hospitality experiences. From fitness tracking to personalized recommendations for healthier lifestyles, technology will support guests in maintaining their physical and mental well-being.
- Sustainable Travel: Technology will play a significant role in promoting sustainable travel practices. Through tools and information, travelers will have the means to make environmentally conscious choices, reducing their carbon footprint and supporting eco-friendly initiatives.
Conclusion
Implementing new technology in the hospitality industry is essential for staying competitive and keeping up with industry trends since it aims to enhance guest experiences and improve operational efficiency. Stay tuned for the next articles about technology in the hospitality industry!
