Technology has always been a hugely disruptive factor, not only in the business arena, but certainly also for society as a whole. A technological change (even one that's invisible to consumers) can trigger the rapid demise of a company – or even an entire industry – that is unfortunately still tethered to a product or process that has suddenly become obsolete. But in the wake of this destruction, new and improved products, companies and industries arise. (At least, we all hope they're improved.)

As for this chapter of The Hotel Yearbook 2036, I don't have a crystal ball, so it's just as hard for me to predict what kind of technological changes could come about as it is for the next guy. But when you write a book like this one, you have to stick your neck out and come up with something sexy anyway. So be warned: predictions of future technologies usually sound like science fiction. And as everybody knows, there are two kinds of science fiction. Good science fiction is intelligent, prescient, and gloriously provocative. Bad science fiction is cheesy and ridiculous. I will do my best to avoid the second kind.

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