In the UAE, hospitality roots from their culture within homes; every host endeavors to offer the best to their visitors. Special sitting places, special coffee, a feast and anything more they can do to make sure their guests enjoy their stay. Ideally, this has since been extended to the hospitality industry. The need to please guests and tourists in hotels and restaurants has greatly proved attractive for tourists worldwide.
The region diversifies by improving developments, adopting new trends and technologies, combining socio-economic parameters with the industry’s growth.
At the heart of diversification is technology. Penetration of the Internet, innovations and Artificial Intelligence make up the main trends revolutionizing the hospitality and leisure industry.
Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning & Automation
Becoming ideally the backbone of technological trends within the hospitality industry, artificial intelligence, machine learning & automation advancements have become more reliable. It is used to carry out customer service tasks, improve personalization, conduct data science, and adapt to customer needs, expectations & interactions. Hotel Shangri-La prides itself on implementing the guest automation system that provides customer services assistance to guests and room occupancy status.
Contactless Payments
Contactless payments have become the most preferred method of payment that minimizes human interaction. The streamlined method of making payments implemented in check-ins, checkouts, and service payments and restaurants eases things for the hospitality industry. Not only is the process of tap or sensor in processing payment user-friendly and secure, but it also allows hotels and restaurants to abide by Covid-19 regulations for operations.
The contactless payments apps are also used as marketing tools; they send bespoke offers to their users, thereby improving brand royalty.
Robots in Hotel & Restaurant Settings
Propelled by human interaction restrictions and guest requirements changing robots are becoming the go-to option for service delivery in the hospitality industry. While hotels in UAE are advancing to keep up with new regulations after a hard hit in 2020, robots are seemingly the better option.
Financially, robots are becoming cheaper to implement, maintain, and work tirelessly with no off days, sick days, or year leaves. Managers are taking advantage of all these. Agreeably, the hospitality industry will always need the human touch; currently, robots are the ones to greet guests on arrival at hotels and directs them appropriately. Robot waiters also move around serving and taking orders; others offer room service, so guests do not have to leave their rooms. Going a notch higher, robots are now handling housekeeping and cleaning chores keeping the areas clean and disinfected. And in some more advanced settings, they are designed to cook those delicacies. Well, robots are the future of always operational organization.
Voice Search & Voice Control
Voice controls come in handy as a means of addressing covid-19. They are mainly implemented through voice commands in smart devices. While the ability of the device to perform certain tasks varies, most of these controls eliminate light tasks such as the push of a button. Commands such as wake up, play, and open can initiate instances on a TV, ventilation systems, or heating systems. For the hotel industry, this offers an improved customer service experience.
Chatbots
These are great for feedbacks from customers after checkout. Following up with a client on their experience and incentives for giving feedback is a sure way to get them hooked and encourage them to book with you next time.
Chatbots are also essential for providing communication with 24/7 smart assistance while reducing some repetitive admin tasks from your staff. Therefore, your staff can focus on improving the guest experience.
Sustainability
Sustainability in hospitality is core. The industry depends heavily on the availability of natural resources, which are the base of the industry. Having been seen as the industry that puts more pressure on natural resources, things are changing as it tries to respond to the need of creating sustainable business environments. Hotels have embraced the practice of recycling and reuse, waste prevention, and reducing energy use.
Businesses embracing inclusivity, employees’ wellbeing and promotion of work-life balance help greatly in economic sustainability. Hotels opting to source supplies locally, including regional flavors in their meals and providing healthy meals improve sustainability.
Enhance Food & Beverage Delivery at Home
Online orders, home deliveries and takeaways have increasingly gained momentum for restaurants ever since the pandemic. Restaurants who hoped in adapted early are gradually noticing the benefits.
Restaurants have implemented technology by creating apps that accept orders, ease communication, track their orders, and process payments. Those who have fully embraced it are going the extra mile by creating great menus and packaging, addressing their clients properly, and ensuring an overall great service.
Healthy and Organic Food & Drinks
As mentioned earlier, the world is going the healthy route and sustainability at its heart. Hospitality has seen a rise in food trends that are here to stay. As a country that receives visitors and tourists from around the world, Including Keto diets, meat alternatives, plant-based, vegan-friendly dishes within their menu will see restaurants in UAE adapt to the new food trends, thereby maintaining their attraction to visitors.
Personalization
With the ability of machine learning and data science infused into hotel and leisure management, it allows learning of client’s preferences through data collection and analysis personalization allows hotels to create custom-made services for individuals. One–on–one marketing is made possible through chatbots, Email marketing, social media marketing, and retargeting techniques on hotel services and product recommendations.
Virtual And Augmented Reality
Virtual reality and augmented reality have been the recent biggest technological trends in the hospitality industry. VR takes you into a hotel environment virtually using photos and images, while AR enhances the real environment of the hotel. Both of these pose as advanced marketing tools allowing potential clients to see and have a feel of what to expect when they stay in the hotels. The customer gets to have all the information and familiarize themselves with the environment before making a booking.
With VR, you get to have travel experiences, hotel tours, booking, and checking processes. AR offers interactive hotel rooms, Gamification, and augmented hotel environments. It also has beacon technology, a marketing option through Bluetooth that allows marketers to send information to potential customers when within the area.
Bottom Line
As one of the government’s priority sectors, Hospitality and Tourism will see the rise of AI, machine learning and automation. Research estimates increased hotel revenues by 10% and reduction of costs by 15%. The UAE is set to thrive in the hospitality and leisure industry, with Dubai on the front lead, providing world-class, state-of-the-art services and experiences.
