HOTEL 2022: 6 NEW TRENDS THAT WILL STAND OUT

The Changing Landscape of Hospitality

As a result of global developments in recent years, consumer behavior has changed significantly, giving rise to new habits and expectations. These changes have affected most sectors of the global economy, including the vital tourism industry.

On the road to recovery, hotels must focus on understanding changing consumer behavior and redesigning the customer experience. Simultaneously, they need to improve their operational flexibility and technological resilience to meet new challenges.

Here are six technology trends that businesses in the hotel industry should prioritize in 2022:

One of the most important trends in the hospitality industry today is the concept of the smart hotel | Smart Hotel 2022. In today’s hotels, where the guest experience, or the “customer experience,” is considered of utmost importance and the reduction of operating costs is critical for the survival of the business, the integration of new technologies is imperative.

To invest in cutting-edge technologies such as voice recognition, which is the latest technology, you must first be able to separate loyal customers from newcomers, to know where your costs appear to be higher and which services are more popular with your customers.

Unified software solutions combine your reservation management system with all the other processes and capabilities you will need to manage the rest of your facilities, including rooms, restaurants, spas and other facilities such as your hotel’s tennis court, golf course or wellness centre in a single system.

With all the information about your visitors and your business in one place, you’ll be able to run your business effectively. You can also learn about your visitors’ backgrounds and preferences and provide them with packages and special offers that you know will capture their interest.

Users can now explore a hotel and its surroundings in a much more immersive way than ever before with virtual hotel tours. Virtual tours are changing the hotel industry in the same way they are transforming the real estate industry with multiple benefits for the industry.

High-resolution cameras and specialized equipment can photograph the interiors and exteriors of hotels in incredible detail. The data collected from the rooms is then processed to create the exact digital twin of each room, resulting in an interactive tour in which users can choose which room to visit, as well as discover the hotel’s facilities.

The latest virtual hotel tours are compatible with all devices that have an internet connection, which means they can be viewed on any mobile device, including laptops and desktops. The tours can then be shared on websites and social media so that potential customers can view them at their leisure.

Virtual tours, unlike traditional hotel photos, allow guests to imagine themselves in the space.

Although booking engines and online travel agencies (OTAs) have been available for some time, many hotels and resorts are still missing out on important opportunities due to a lack of technology to connect third-party booking engines to their own systems.

Until recently, hotels had to manually connect and maintain various booking websites, which was difficult and time-consuming.

However, new developments allow hotels to increase their reach with minimal effort by automatically connecting their reservation management system to the most popular third-party booking engines. Modern tools provide streamlined services, ensuring a smooth booking process from the moment a visitor views your room rates and types on a third-party website until they check-in with you.

By making the most of your presence across multiple booking channels, you can reach new customers and bring them to your hotel’s doors, due to the large global presence of OTAs and their online visibility. After that, it’s up to you to create the experience that will encourage customers to return through remarketing, as well as give them benefits that will motivate them to book directly through your website.

The Internet of Things (IoT) describes the network of physical objects – “things” – embedded with sensors, software and other technologies to connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet.

IoT, or “the internet of things”, refers to objects and equipment that can be connected to the internet and to each other. It has the potential to revolutionise hotels by simplifying property management and maintenance and increasing guest engagement.

Hotel owners can now monitor and control every aspect of their entire property from a single communication channel by deploying IoT-enabled products. This type of assessment allows properties to schedule maintenance in advance so that pool or guest shower lights can be repaired when they start to malfunction, but before they completely fail.

Hotels can also better manage energy usage and contribute to sustainability initiatives, such as reducing the temperature in the gym when it is not in use.

IoT will also increasingly be used to improve the guest experience, for example by allowing guests to use their mobile devices as access keys to amenities such as swimming pools and tennis courts.

Self-service options allow guests to choose between enhanced or limited-contact service models, while hotel staff can focus on providing better service to those who prefer direct communication.

Some hotels use biometrics to make self-service check-in and check-out even more seamless. Guests can register their fingerprints or facial features in the Property Management System (PMS) and use their identification to validate check-out and gain access to rooms and other booked facilities without keys or cards.

When guests return, they will be instantly recognized and offered all their preferred services, creating a personalized experience that encourages loyalty.

Digital amenities are becoming more prevalent in hotel rooms | Smart Hotel 2022. Guests want to be able to change their room temperature or book breakfast with a simple tap.

Tablets in the rooms replace the traditional folders with information about hotel services, allowing guests to check breakfast times, restaurant menus, spa services, and the latest information about the hotel’s services. the recommendations of the region, as well as playing music, controlling the lights, curtains and heating in the room, and even sending requests to the reception.

Some hotels are shifting electricity to the guest’s gadget, further reducing their energy footprint. Guests can use their own mobile device to check in, access their room, select entertainment services and even adjust the lighting in their rooms.

Voice controls, already common in homes, are becoming more and more common in hotels. These virtual assistants are not only smart and intuitive, but they also have a personality that allows them to connect with visitors.

Whether considered a passing fad or a long-term trend, these improvements demonstrate the need for hotels to evolve the quality of personalised service. If traditional hoteliers wish to continue impressing their guests and ensure future success, they must fully embrace technological transformation.