External Articles

'Frustrating' hotel room key cards could disappear within five years | telegraph.co.uk

"Frustrating" hotel room keys which need to be swiped several times are on the verge of extinction as they are being replaced by new smartphone technology.

Hotel chains including Hilton and Louvre are introducing new bluetooth systems which let guests unlock their room doors by simply pressing a button on their mobile phone.

According to experts smartphone "keys" will be found as standard in hotels within five years, as big chains are replacing outdated key cards with the new hassle-free technology.

Tourism Technology Changed The Way We Travel | tourism-review.com

Technology and, more specifically, Internet, are changing the way tourism is organized and commercialized. On the one hand, users do not travel the same way they did a few years ago because they now have many more possibilities. And, on the other, the companies of the sector and even the tourist destinations themselves are immersed in full digital adaptation.

User’s digitalization has managed to implement the transformation of a business model. Tourism technology is now essential for any travel company.

The customer is much more demanding and has a more experienced and digital profile. The target is changing and the tourist has gone from being a passive subject that needs a service to a key piece immensely involved in the process.

Deluxe room, Earth view: What a luxury space hotel looks like - qz.com

Much has been made about how (very, very rich) space tourists will travel to their off-the-beaten path destination, but where will they stay once they do? A luxury boutique hotel, of course. A team of Massachusetts Institute of Technology students have won a NASA competition to design commercially viable accommodations for low-Earth orbit—the first 180-2,000 kilometers (100-1,200 miles) above the planet. NASA tasked participants to come up with something that could one day also be used by travelers to Mars.

Everyone In Hotels Talks About Experience But What Does It Even Mean? - forbes.com

Richard Millard, chairman and chief executive of U.S. hotel owner Trust Hospitality, is not afraid to be provocative. “We’re told all the time that experience is the holy grail for hospitality,” he said. “But what does that even mean?” It was a question his fellow speakers at Bisnow’s Big Hotel Reception in London answered in their own unique ways, including design, staff, on-site gyms vs. local yoga classes vs. cheeseburgers, understanding your local city and how to turn an underground bank vault into one of London’s coolest hotel concepts.

HITEC Puts Spotlight on Startups to Watch - hotelbusiness.com

“In order for the industry to thrive, we need innovation and entrepreneurship. As a nonprofit association, HFTP has a mandate to make the industry better for everyone. We believe that these issues are so important that we even helped start an investment fund, Wayfare VC LLC, which only invests in companies in our verticals. As far as we can tell, this has never been done by any nonprofit in any industry,” said Wolfe. “Our latest projects are in the areas of data privacy, block chain, standards—or lack thereof. HFTP is currently in discussions to start a hospitality accelerator that will be global. If it comes to fruition, it will likely encompass all hospitality areas from sleeping accommodations, private clubs, foodservice, casinos, cruise lines and even transportation.”

What Next-Level Hotels Have in Common: 5 Podcast Takeaways - skift.com

Our most recent podcast centered around the ways extraordinary hotels are trying to meet the demands of discerning travelers: with an emphasis on local food, curated experiences, thoughtful design, and even a touch of quirkiness. We heard from some of the pros who specialize in connecting travelers with standout hotel experiences. James Lohan and Tamara Heber-Percy are the founders of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, a travel club that started out as a guidebook featuring under-the-radar boutique hotels. We also interviewed Claus Sendlinger, CEO and founder of Design Hotels.

Hotels add plugs, ports for device-laden guests - usatoday.com

Stephen Delaney travels with a laptop, an iPad, two cellphones and a backup power pack to keep all his devices charged.

When he walks into a hotel guestroom, he scours for the power outlets and USB ports.

“I hate when a hotel room does not have conveniently placed plugs,” says the Franklin, Tenn., USA TODAY Road Warrior and health care IT consultant. “Unfortunately, there are many hotels that have not yet added plugs on top of desks, nightstands, etc.”

Expedia wants you to virtually step into your hotel room before you book | mashable.com

It's hard picturing how a hotel room could feel just based on pictures alone, but Expedia's got a futuristic solution for you.

The travel giant is working on offering virtual reality versions of its listings, as more people have access to VR gear at home.

Swiss Hotel Chain Mövenpick Uses Cloud To Avoid 'Cemetery Of Brands' | forbes.com

Mövenpick is hoping to escape what its CEO Olivier Chavy called the “cemetery of brands” during a presentation at Oracle Industry Connect here this morning. Profit margins in the hotel industry are between 1% and 2%, and are being squeezed by a combination of macroeconomic and industry-specific factors, such as a changing distributor landscape, tighter management agreements, and higher capital requirements for borrowing. But according to Chavy, hotel operators are under greater threat from organizations like Uber and Facebook, which can leverage platforms to create experiences. He noted that Uber is the world’s largest taxi company yet owns no taxis; Airbnb is the world’s largest hotel company yet owns no real estate. And he sounded a note of alarm, claiming that many in the hotel industry are evolving too slowly to survive. “In the hospitality industry, we are in the age of stone,” he said.

Hoteliers Comb the Ranks of Tech Workers to Gain an Edge | nytimes.com

The front desk manager or housekeeper may epitomize the hotel employee, but the hospitality industry is increasingly dependent on tech workers, vacuuming data scientists, web designers and other experts into its ranks.

More than ever, guests look to their phones and computers to research, book, stay in and communicate with hotels. That translates to critical technology needs in information security, mobile development and systems integration.

Hoteliers Comb the Ranks of Tech Workers to Gain an Edge | nytimes.com

The front desk manager or housekeeper may epitomize the hotel employee, but the hospitality industry is increasingly dependent on tech workers, vacuuming data scientists, web designers and other experts into its ranks. More than ever, guests look to their phones and computers to research, book, stay in and communicate with hotels. That translates to critical technology needs in information security, mobile development and systems integration. Inside hotel operations, data analysis can help find new customers, make a dining room more profitable or provide information to executives making business decisions.

How Airbnb Changed the Traditional Lodging Industry | entrepreneur.com

By taking advantage of existing properties and involving homeowner in the transaction, Airbnb disrupted the lodging industry and is now valued at $20 billion. Just like the taxi industry, in the 2000s, the hotel sector was ripe for disruption. In many cities, hotels in central locations were (and still are) overpriced and lacked the “atmospheric” character of the place itself. Airbnb enables homeowners to offer their couches, spare rooms or entire homes for rent for short stays, and the company has become a network of over 25,000 active hosts in 190 countries. More than twenty million guests have booked thirty million nights on the platform since it was founded in 2008.

Chip Conley’s Airbnb experience: 10 key lessons |

How many chances do you get to disrupt an entire industry? I’ve been honored with the opportunity twice. In the mid-­80’s, I started a California boutique hotel company, Joie de Vivre, that created and managed 52 unique properties. After running the business for almost 25 years, I sold it – with my eye on adventures outside of hospitality. I traveled. A lot. I launched a business to share my passion for world festivals. Then, four years ago, the young founders of Airbnb disrupted my plans with an offer I couldn’t refuse. What was supposed to be a part-time consulting gig to help “democratize hospitality” turned into a full-time obsession with much more, and surprising lessons for this “retired" CEO. As I transition to strategic advisor after day­ to-day leadership on this innovative rocket ship, here’s some of what I’ve learned:

Study: Netflix now more popular than adult entertainment in hotel rooms | foxnews.com

When it comes to in room entertainment, a new study says that today's hotel guests may just want to Netflix-- without the "chill."

According to data from Enseo, a company that provides in room entertainment solutions for some of the world's biggest hotel brands like Marriott, more hotel guests are streaming a show or movie from Netflix in hotels that have axed pornographic video-on-demand (VOD) than ordering traditional adult-themed programming.

A World-Renowned Futurist Reveals The Hotel Of The Future | forbes.com

World-renowned global futurist Dr. James Canton envisions hotel experiences that include supersonic travel and DNA-driven spa treatments, so what can we expect in the next decade? Canton, a former Apple Computer executive, author and social scientist, worked in conjunction with Hotels.com, to present the Hotels of the Future Study at a recent conference in San Francisco. In the study he describes hotels with everything from RoboButlers and virtual reality entertainment to hotel restaurants based on gourmet genomics and the emergence of neurotechnology to make sleep more refreshing. Canton, who has advised three White House Administrations and over 100 companies, believes these megatrends will shape the future of the hotel experience and that the RoboButler is the change we will most likely see first. Although, he also notes that plans are already underway for a supersonic hyperloop route from Los Angeles to New York City. Canton kindly agreed to give Forbes readers a more in-depth look at his thinking. Below he weighs in on what all of this will look like and why we should embrace the next wave of technology.

Meet Rose, the Sassy New Bot Concierge in Las Vegas | travelandleisure.com

As more hotels adopt virtual concierge apps to meet guest needs, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas has taken it a step further by creating a uniquely designed robot concierge with a distinct personality. In early January, the hotel unveiled Rose, a flirty chatbot with a sense of humor. When guests check in to the hotel, a front desk representative gives them a card that reads: “Know my secrets. Text me,” and “I am the answer to the question that you never asked.” The card also bears Rose’s phone number, which you can text for nearly anything you might need during your stay. (In the background, staff of The Cosmopolitan are on hand to administer anything that Rose cannot.)

The impact of artificial intelligence on the travel industry | econsultancy.com

At the end of last year, we asked a few experts to predict the social media trends we’ll be seeing in 2017.

Live video was a running theme, as was virtual reality. However, we thought we’d take the opportunity to explore another interesting topic - artificial intelligence (or AI).

More specifically, the use of artificial intelligence in the travel industry. Why? Well, it’s already making waves.

Providing travel brands the perfect opportunity to connect with consumers and enhance customer service - we’ve seen a number of businesses experimenting with the technology.

Here’s how, along with a few of the most interesting examples to catch my eye.

Hotels eye ‘high tech, high touch” move to firm up business | enterpriseinnovation.net

Changes in consumer expectations for fast Wi-Fi, helpful guest assistants and loyalty rewards have prompted the hospitality industry to invest in technology that enhances the guest experience and provides added convenience for smartphone check-in, location-based offers and services and digitally-enabled loyalty programs.

Results of the global Zebra Hospitality Vision Study show that 77% of hotels/resorts surveyed worldwide are expanding Wi-Fi coverage, to help move staff to mobile computers for more guest interaction, expand location services for guests and deliver reliable wireless access.