As travel gets smarter, devices are dominating hotel technology.
Below are just a few examples of what’s hot in tech this year. Each June, HOTELS highlights the hottest of the hot trends in design, F&B and technology, not to mention some of the industry’s most noteworthy individuals. For all the hot coverage, check out the June issue of HOTELS.
Mobile payment
If travelers are willing to use their mobile devices to open doors, it comes as little shock that using those same devices for payment is another natural progression. Services like Apple Pay and Google Wallet are currently leading the charge, and even Facebook Messenger has entered the game.
Travel tech experts believe these kinds of mobile payment solutions will become increasingly effective over time as they integrate with users’ various loyalty programs, as well as corporate expense reporting systems like Concur.
“Mobile transactions are going to continue to be a trend for the hotel industry,” says Geraldine Calpin, SVP and global head of digital for Hilton Worldwide. “Simplifying payment is imperative to mobile commerce and one more way we can anticipate the guest’s needs and delight them with a digital-driven experience.”
Keyless check-in
Among all the mobile apps currently reshaping travel and the interactions between guest and service provider, keyless check-in and guestroom-entry solutions are perhaps the most radical. This year, some major hotel companies are already navigating this shift.
With mobile check-in apps already in place, both Hilton Worldwide and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide are now in the early stages of rolling out their own keyless entry solutions, which enable guests to replace the standard plastic key card with their mobile devices. Marriott is rumored to be close to a similar venture, while vendor OpenKey is making strides in promoting its touted universal keyless solution. The change may not happen overnight, but experts believe it’s definitely coming, and sooner than later.
Hyper-personalization
While some forms of tech are helping minimize guests’ physical interaction with hotel staff, others are tasked with helping travel providers get to know customers far more intimately than ever before. In the wake of the mobile explosion and the rise of CRM, a new age of hyper-personalization has arrived where the ultimate goal is to use tech to customize every aspect of a guest’s trip.
Technologies like geo-locational services embedded in smart devices are increasingly allowing hotel companies to make spontaneous, targeted marketing offers through various apps, whether it’s on the golf course or in the bar. And for properties where human service is still emphasized, staffers are also tapping into personalization tech in order to better serve clientele.
“On the luxury side, it will be implementing ways to utilize technology so you can see the guest’s preferences in order to help the concierges make better suggestions,” says Whitney Merrick, area director of revenue management for Evolution Hospitality. “I’d think pretty soon the luxury segment will be utilizing the near-field communication that’s evolving right now to help realize what guest preferences are, just by having apps on your phone that can eliminate some of those steps.”
Editor’s note: For the complete list of hot tech trends, click here.
Contributed by Brendan Manley