With the constant advancement of technology, the appropriation of systems based on the Internet of Things (IoT), and the need to generate personalized experiences; while the Internet has become the fifth basic service, the hotel and tourism sector requires the implementation of technological solutions and connectivity infrastructure, which ensure the ability to provide better service to its guests.
In addition, hotel technology is expected to take care of the impact on the environment through systems that can guarantee energy and resource savings.
The influence of new technologies in tourist environments not only has an impact on the guest experience but also on aspects like the optimization of staff activities since it facilitates operational actions and automates processes that allow savings in time and resources, which is also reflected in the hotel’s care for the environment.
Hotel technology also raises new scenarios in which the way of traveling and consumption habits related to the use of new technologies change. For example, in the past, in terms of communication, hotel rooms were expected to have cable television and a landline telephone to make calls; while today, tourists expect a Wi-Fi connection, automated lighting and temperature systems, electronic gates, etc.
Major Hotel Technology Trends
In recent years, certain growing trends have been noted in favor of the development of the digital transformation of the tourism and hotel sector, which has seen in these solutions a way to improve its profits, generate new customers and keep them the existing ones. Some of the most common trends in the sector are:
Security: Thanks to the application of video surveillance systems that transmit information in real-time and remotely, faster action is allowed in the event of any type of issue. In addition, due to the use of facial recognition systems and the integration of audio and video solutions with emergency protocols, it is possible to carry out crime prevention actions, identify and locate people and alert them to possible environmental risk situations, evacuating them effectively.
Web applications: Mobile applications and specialized internet sites have become the protagonists when selecting the way in which one plans to travel. From flight selection to hotel reservations, apps have allowed the industry to diversify and become more competitive.
Automated systems within the enclosure: Customer service and care are the main needs to be covered by the tourism sector; therefore, the implementation of hotel technology that improves the tourist experience and makes the stay as easy as possible will be a growing trend. Thus, it will be increasingly common to see automated systems for air conditioning, lighting, and signage, among others, in these places.
Predictive maintenance: In addition to technologies that are visible to the end user, it is necessary to implement solutions that allow real-time monitoring of the systems that converge inside and outside the premises; The objective of these tools is to avoid possible failures that affect connectivity and the experience of tourists.
Energy savings: A trend seen in recent years has been the application of intelligent systems that program and control the lighting network remotely and the application of clean energy solutions, which make resources more efficient and reduce the footprint of carbon.
Network infrastructure to meet connection needs: The high demand in the generation of wireless connections for use by clients within tourist and hotel venues has led to the updating of network infrastructure systems, which are necessary to be able to transmit information quickly and securely. For this reason, the bandwidth has been increased and network solutions have been applied that provide energy and transmit data, which have a discreet design, are resistant to weather conditions and guarantee stable connections both in the systems used for the operation of the place, as in those tools used by the end user.
Data processing. The different devices that converge on the network generate a large amount of information, which will allow hoteliers to provide personalized service. In other words, the data will not only be stored in a Data Center, but it will also be processed and will make the stay of the guests more comfortable.
In the future, with the use of wristbands that function as keys, the devices in the room could detect when the guest is near and activate the lights, air conditioning and even the TV or music according to the most used parameters. In the same way, if a guest forgets to turn off the services, the system will detect that they are far away and can automatically deactivate them, generating energy savings.
