Research studies confirm what many of us in the hospitality sector already know after a busy summer. People are travelling again. Indeed, according to a recent research study titled “Hospitality in 2025: Automated, Intelligent… and More Personal”, up to 95 per cent of individuals intend to travel in the upcoming six months.

However, these studies are also highlighting a new trend in hospitality. Many travellers want to remove “touch” from the high-touch sector they formerly knew. Most visitors (73 per cent) now prefer to manage their hotel and resort stay via a mobile device, including checking in and out, making payments, placing food orders, and more.

According to the research undertaken by Oracle Hospitality and Skift in spring 2022, in which 5,266 consumers and 633 hotel executives were surveyed, guests want to further customize their vacation by:

• Choosing the precise room and floor they want;
• Paying for only the amenities they need or will use; and
• Pre-screening properties in the metaverse (68 per cent)

In addition, 74 per cent of respondents are interested in hotels and resorts adopting AI to more effectively tailor services and offerings, such as rental rates, meal recommendations and discounts. This “unbundled” strategy is considered the future of revenue management by nearly 40 per cent of hospitality executives.

Other important findings:

Seventy-three per cent of respondents said they are more likely to stay at properties that offer self-service technologies to reduce contact with staff and other guests.

Thirty-eight per cent want a self-service system where staff members are only contacted when necessary.

Thirty-nine per cent of people want to use their phone or a chatbot to order room service.

While just 5 per cent of people want to pay with cryptocurrency, 49 per cent want contactless payments.

Although there is still a severe labour shortage in the sector, the sector is making significant efforts to adopt new technology to reduce the burden on both clients and staff:

According to 65 per cent of managers, incorporating innovative technologies for staff members is their strategy for coping with labour shortages and attracting fresh talent.

Ninety-six per cent are investing in contactless technology, with 62 per cent agreeing that “a fully contactless experience” is likely to be the most widely adopted tech in the industry in the next three years.

Between now and 2025, 54 per cent of respondents stated that adopting technology that enhances or removes the requirement for a front desk will be their top goal.

The study indicates that there is a mixed opinion among travellers during this transition:

For all standard hotel transactions (check-in/out, food and beverage, room keys, etc.), 39 per cent of respondents said they prefer an entirely contactless experience.

Staff shortages and the resulting delays in service would be their top reason for not rebooking a resort or hotel, according to 34 per cent.

However, only 23 per cent said that a lack of daily cleaning is a problem, indicating that consumers have come to terms that this pre-pandemic staple will never return (and 17 per cent said they were happy about it).

The study also revealed that while travelling, guests desire the comfort and convenience of home:

For 45 per cent of guests, having access to on-demand entertainment that syncs with their streaming or gaming accounts is a must.

Similarly, 45 per cent of executives stated they’re most likely to employ this in-room entertainment setup by 2025.

Seventy-seven per cent of guests are interested in using chatbots or automated messaging to manage customer service requests.

Forty-three per cent of respondents want voice-activated controls for all in-room amenities (lights, curtains, door locks, etc.).

Twenty-five per cent want thermostats, lighting, and even digital art to be automatically adjusted depending on previously stated preferences.

If you are considering introducing technology at your resort or hotel, then contact the Merlin team today. Merlin Software and our range of WebApps provide a range of services, such as contactless payments and remote check-in and check-out, that are fully integrated with our Merlin Classic software.

Find out more by arranging a demo or contacting our head of sales, Mark Thomas.

Source: Hotel Technology News