From mobile usage to the internet of things, from virtual reality to augmented reality and all the sharing platforms in between, the hotel industry can sometimes struggle to stay afloat with all the possibilities stemming from new technologies.
Customers don’t choose their destinations like they used to, nor do they do it relying on the same sources of influence and devices. Thus, where should hoteliers focus their efforts?
Key technologies for hotels
The folks at Ard na Sidhe Country House in Co. Kerry, Ireland, came up with this useful and visual infographic summarizing some of the key technology trends hoteliers should embrace, or at least be aware of for 2016 and beyond.
The front desk of the future will change with the developments in mobility and cloud-based applications. Guests are going to be driving the needs for the technology deployed in the hotels, unlike currently where hotels are deciding what their guests need – Harbans Singh
So what are some of these tech trends hotels should pay attention to?
- Banking on reviews and implementing plugins/widget on hotel websites
- Cultivating social media presence on key platforms
- 5G mobile and 360 degrees videos
Personally, I think the biggest takeaway from this infographic relates to video marketing and its potential for years to come. Most specialists agree on this, yet only 1 in 3 in the hotel industry have videos on YouTube, not to mention Facebook where it is estimated that less than 10% of travel brands have native videos on their page.
Knowing that 80% of all web traffic will come from video viewing by 2019, isn’t it time to get cracking?
Read also: Video Best Practices in Travel Marketing
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