6 Tech Trends in the Hospitality Industry in 2022
The hospitality and the travel and tourism industry in general has seen a major facelift with technology each decade. Today, many digital integrations are an everyday offering in hotels and venues. Mobile booking and check-ins, mobile-apps or mobile friendly websites for agendas, and concierge instant messaging to name a few have become an industry standard. Mary Wadland, publisher and editor in chief of The Zebra Press, offers 6 tech trends in the hospitality industry that have been more and more in demand in 2022, and most likely for years to come.
- Virtual Reality, AI, and Augmented Reality. “These three elements are connected to a degree, but it’s interesting to see how they are being embraced by the hospitality industry in 2022, in many cases for the first time. Each of these adds a layer of value and convenience for the customer while also freeing up staff to concentrate on other tasks and functions.”
- Energy Saving Technology and the Internet of Things. “Due to the war in Ukraine, every business in 2022 is increasingly focusing on saving on the energy costs. Options include state-of-the-art sensors and detectors that can monitor whether rooms or areas are occupied and cut power to those that aren’t. At the same time, the IOT (Internet of Things) allows connectivity to a range of ‘smart’ devices and appliances that collect data and interact via the internet. This can be used to monitor and adjust thermostats and lighting and it helps to save energy costs too.”
- Cybersecurity. “Investing in stronger cybersecurity protection has clearly become a trend in 2022. To safeguard your valuable data as a hospitality manager/owner you should, protect your devices and those of your customers by using a VPN that encrypts data, use a guest network to keep their and your staff’s activities separate, provide cyber awareness training to your staff, and use the cloud and backup data.”
- Voice Search and Control. “Many of us use voice search via our smartphones or personal assistants such as Siri. We have become so accustomed to using voice for a range of features that many people now expect this when away from home too. It also helps to reduce touch technology in many areas of business, which may impact the spread of COVID-19.”
- Contactless Payments. “The use of contactless payment methods has been growing in popularity with consumers and providers alike. However, the health concerns generated by COVID-19 gave further impetus to a hands-free, automated payment system. Contactless payments are also beneficial for hospitality vendors too as they are quick and compatible with loyalty programs.”
- Mobile Check-In and Guest Communication via Messenger. “Mobile check-in reduces or eliminates the need for face-to-face interactions. It also allows customers a greater degree of freedom and flexibility about when they arrive and gain access to their rooms. At the same time, it prevents queuing at reception desks and other delays and – during a time of health concerns – limits human exposure.”
This isn’t to say that every hotel or venue will have all these technologies implemented right now, but in order to stay competitive, Wadland sees these technologies as a must have for people who travel these days.
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