Technology is shaking up the industry, with artificial intelligence increasingly being used to enhance the customer experience and make businesses smarter
Friendly greetings are part of the everyday vernacular of hotel lobbies across the world. Book to stay at the Henn-na in south-western Japan though and you’ll be greeted on arrival by an English-speaking dinosaur sporting a bow tie and bellhop hat. Reserve a room at the Hilton McLean hotel in Virginia and a robot named Connie will act as a member of the concierge, answering your questions regarding amenities and dining options.
Hotels manned by artificial intelligence may sound like something that has leapt off the pages of a dystopian fiction novel, but the ability to augment tasks in the hospitality industry is growing. According to research by the holiday deal website Travelzoo, 80% of 6,000 respondents said robotics and automation would feature heavily in the future, with international and well-seasoned travellers being more comfortable with the idea. Of those surveyed, 79% were convinced robots would be better equipped at dealing with different languages and 81% thought they would be better than humans at handling data.
Related: The tech making a difference to social care
Related: Say one sentence and it’s done in the AI-first world
Continue reading...