10 Hotel Trends for 2019 to Look for
From personalized offers to mobile technology we have highlighted 10 hotel trends you need to know.
From personalized offers to mobile technology we have highlighted 10 hotel trends you need to know.
In which direction is the hotel industry moving in 2019? Which concepts are becoming more and more prevalent, what is more on the way down? Of course, predictions for the future are always difficult, but we tried anyway.
The digitization of the hotel industry will not stop in 2019. But on the contrary. With the help of digital solutions, hoteliers will create more individuality for their guests and respond more to their wishes. In 2019, everything will be about providing the hotel guest with personalized experiences in the hotel. At the same time, the digital solutions make everyday work in the hotel easier. It is important not to lose track of the many solutions in digitization and to fall by the wayside. Have a look at the 10 Hotel Trends for 2019 to look and find out which ones are right for your hotel and your guests.
Modesty also means to consider the individual wishes of the guest. The individualization in the booking process will increase. Guests want personalized offers, so booking systems that recognize what the guest wants. For example, the stomach pillow or champagne as the last visit. If you like, hotels can look here a lot from the e-commerce market. So the desired room is selected like the seat in the airplane and the desired extras like the suitable accessories in the electronics shop with a click. The own website sells products like an e-commerce shop. Less cryptic bookings on a half-page machine, which are integrated with interfaces more like Amazon. But of course the booking engines have to be able to map that as well.
The mobile trend in hotels continues in 2019. Mobile check-in is already in use in many hotels. In 2019, hotels go one step further and let their guests open the door to the hotel room via smartphone. The digital room key is just as much a part of Hotel Trends 2019 as mobile payment. With the introduction of Apple Pay, the mobile payment method has already come into focus at the end of 2018. In 2019, mobile payment will also become increasingly interesting for the hotel industry.
Another trend is the cloud for hotels. More and more hotels are switching to cloud-based solutions – with good reason. Because the cloud can be connected to many software and hardware solutions in the hotel and simplifies processes in the hotel. The cloud provides easy and centralized management, without additional hardware.
Internet of Things is one of the big hotel trends of 2019. The combination of everyday objects such as lighting, heating and TV with the Internet creates a new guest experience. Hotel guests can easily control the devices as they wish.
Another trend for the hotel industry is digital language assistants. In 2019, this trend will spread not only in private households, but increasingly in the hotel. By voice command hotel guests can play their favorite music or order something from room service.
If your guests do not want to talk to language assistants, they have the ability to communicate with chat-bots. On some hotel websites and messenger platforms, chat-bots already automatically answer the questions of the hotel guests. Artificial intelligence provides more personalized live chat. In 2019, AI-based chat-bots will be able to streamline their interaction with hotel guests and better address their concerns. This ensures more service for hotel guests and at the same time relieves employees in the hotel. They will only be notified if the chat bot does not know how to proceed.
Digitization in the hotel does not stop at robots. Robots will be in the hotel more often in 2019. They welcome hotel guests, help with check-in and, thanks to KI, respond to customer questions. Also, the delivery of snacks and toiletries on the hotel room robots in the hotel. Robots do not replace your hotel staff, but support them in their work.
In 2019, a greater focus will be placed on environmental protection and sustainability. Guests expect Eco-friendly behavior in the hotel. In 2018, the dispensing with plastic drinking straws in the hotel and gastronomy sector has already been discussed. With reusable and biodegradable versions, plastic items will gradually disappear from hotels.
A snack- and vending machine in the hotel lobby? Why not, hotels without F & B concept are in fashion in 2019.
In the hallway is a drinks machine, in the lobby a pizza-2-go closet and if necessary, there is also somewhere the number from the delivery service. Hotels without F & B concept are socially acceptable. The idea behind: If there are not enough cooks anyway – why drive the expense of a hotel kitchen? Can’t you invest the money more profitably?
The McDreams hotels with 6 locations in Germany have implemented such a mini-max strategy. For less than 30 euros per night, you get a room in major European cities with a box spring bed, flat-screen TV, free WiFi, 24-hour check-in and a friendly reference to the restaurants in the neighborhood.
Based on 163 million guest reviews, Booking.com has identified 8 travel trends. Especially important for hoteliers: environmental topics will continue to gain importance in 2019. Hotels and cruise companies take this into account, as more and more disposable plastic is dispensed with. The willingness of travelers to participate in activities to contain the environmental impact of their journey is growing. It can be expected that in the future more start-ups specializing in sustainability travel will be created. Human rights considerations, gender equality, working conditions and other social issues are also increasingly finding their way into decision-making processes. The price still ranks with the vast majority – but reservations about countries with bad testimony regarding social issues are increasing.
Hotel Trends for 2019 to Look for – Conclusion
The customer and his needs should be back in the center. If we have learned one thing from 2018, then we do not have to blindly go after every hype. I wish for the coming year a return to the roots of the hospitality industry and a better-thought-out selection of technologies. We have to pay more attention to putting the customer and his needs back in the spotlight. Ostensibly, this is done by new technologies such as artificial intelligence or virtual realities. But only superficial. If you take a closer look, some of the scenarios presented in 2018 are almost a fairy tale character.
The hotel industry 2019 needs more support and advice. The solution is not in digital hype, but in the general digitization of processes and in the cloud. Only this way hoteliers can keep up with the growing technical requirements. The privacy-compliant interlocking of Internet booking machines. PMS ‘and sales behavior in the network is made easier and faster by the cloud. The hotelier no longer has to worry about his IT infrastructure, but can focus entirely on the guest. But this is exactly where the hotel industry needs more support and advice in 2019. Hoteliers want a sparring partner, a consultant who points the direction and recommends products that fit one, and not sell any buzzword themes.
Technology Trends for 2019, David Cearley, Gartner Vice President, his opinion of presented at Gartner 2018 Symposium/ITxpo in Orlando, Florida.Blockchain, artificial intelligence, empowered edge, privacy and ethics, quantum computing, immersive experiences, augmented analytics, autonomous things and digital twins.
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