Techy Travel in 2023: What Resorts & Hotels Need to Know

Have you noticed how much easier it is to travel nowadays? Technology has improved the way we get out into the world – making it safer, more exciting and, ultimately, more accessible. With so many possibilities for properties to grow their business through travel tech, we’ve compiled a list of some of the top advancements below.

1. Contactless Transactions: These days contactless check-ins and payments are must-haves. This technology allows hotel guests to check in and pay using their mobile devices, saving them time and providing a seamless customer experience.

2. Robots and Chatbots: Rosie the Robot of The Jetsons fame doesn’t exist quite yet, but Connie the robot concierge (found at select Hilton properties) comes pretty close. Hotels are also utilizing robots to clean, disinfect and even deliver room service. Chatbots on your website and social media channels assist guests with common questions, provide recommendations and even allow them to directly book rooms.

3. Virtual and Augmented Reality Tours: Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) offer unparalleled immersive experiences. With VR, you can enter an entirely artificial world, helping guests connect with your property even before they step foot through your doors. While AR enhances surroundings by overlaying computer-generated information on top of them. Want to augment your AR knowledge? Check out our blog on augmented ads here.

4. Voice Searches: “Hey Siri, is our resort optimized for voice searches?” Voice search is a crucial advancement due to heavy investment from tech giants like Google, Apple, Amazon and Microsoft. It aligns with customer service trends to streamline processes and remove friction. With research showing voice search popularity continuing to grow, it’s a solid investment for the future.

5. Cybersecurity: The hospitality industry is a common target for cyber-attacks due to the large amount of personal data they collect and store. A survey found that 56% of hospitality IT leaders consider cybersecurity to be a top business concern. Putting resources behind measures to protect guests’ personal and financial information will help build trust and protect your hotel’s reputation, especially among meeting and event planners, an all-important B2B audience.

6. Smart Hotels: Boasting technology that offers a more personalized experience – from adjusting temperature in guestrooms to offering customized recommendations – smart hotels are THE places to stay. Just ensure that guests don’t have to be geniuses to use your hotel’s smart features.

7. Guest Apps: Properties can increase engagement and satisfaction AND boost bookings with a flexible, functional app. Make sure your app is minimally set up to deliver promotions and rewards, accept reservations, collect feedback and provide valuable information on guest behavior. Want to go next level? Your app can also act as a tour guide (see #3 Augmented Reality Tours) to enhance the overall stay experience. And check out the “10 Best Hospitality Apps for Your Guests in 2023” from Hotel Tech Report here!

8. Big Data and Analytics: This tech trend helps properties make better decisions, learn about their guests and grow strategically. Dive into big data and analytics to offer personalized recommendations, improve customer service and even predict flight delays. It can also be used to track consumer and seasonal booking data, analyze customer inquiries, complaints and reviews, understand guest preferences, improve performance and increase revenue.

9. The Latest Wi-Fi: What’s in a number? A lot! As of this moment, you’ll want to offer Wi-Fi 6 to provide your guests with better speeds and connectivity. It’s four times faster than Wi-Fi 5, with speeds up to 6 GHz, making it perfect for streaming high-quality video and gaming. Experts speculate that hotels are usually about a year behind other industries when it comes to adopting next-generation Wi-Fi, so offering the latest and greatest will make your property a standout.

 

Looking to gain a technological edge over your competitors? Connect with Dana Communications, the award-winning travel and hospitality marketing team, to explore the latest tech and discover how it can benefit your property. Reach out to Lynn Kaniper at 609.466.9187 ext. 117 or lkaniper@danacommunications.com right now.