OVERCOMING THE CRISIS INTHE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
The hospitality industry is trying to cope with the crisis by developing and implementing new digital technologies. Hygiene and contact minimization were the two main criteria for attracting customers. Therefore, most developments are carried out in these areas. In order to give travelers an opportunity to compare hotels by their cleanliness when booking, several companies have developed a special application. Using certain algorithms, it allows hotel owners to confirm their compliance with hygiene standards on a monthly basis and receive a special digital “staysafe – hygiene self-assessment” label, which is automatically displayed on the websites of tour operators and OTAs.
At the stage of travel preparation, this system can be very helpful in choosing a hotel. It certainly fits into the concept of smart tourism, as it primarily helps ordinary tourists, and also it is based on digital technologies.
The second criterion is also very important. Booking, registration, communication with the hotel staff – all these moments require contactless solutions in the modern situation. And again, in the light of smart tourism, the solution is in digital technology and mobile applications. Today, several companies are already offering hotels very promising technologies that will increase the safety of both guests and employees.
But some hotels do not expect help from third-party developers and introduce their own methods, and sometimes quite interesting ones. For example, a number of American hotels use robots to minimize the interaction of staff with guests. Robots can deliver food, drinks, towels and other things directly to the room. And after visiting each room, they are disinfected.
The use of robots is likely to continue finding its niches in tourism. Although, mobile robotic guides have been used for a long time in smart tourism. And today their usefulness, together with safety, has become especially relevant. Moreover, DMOs, museums, hotels and other travel businesses can easily create their own robot guide based on the popular mobile application. We can help in this matter.