Globalization and emerging economies will offer great opportunities while travelers will be better informed and demand demanding experiences based on their personal needs. New technologies will offer opportunities to personalize the experience and improve operational performance. The study A blueprint for the future of the hospitality industry identifies the main trends that will influence the hotel sector in the immediate future and the technological implications for establishments and hotel chains.
According to the report, the great drivers of development for the hotel sector are: globalization, a new profile of customers and new technologies themselves.
The study, commissioned by Amadeus from the consultancy Inspire Resources, has been carried out through in-depth interviews with a wide sample of hotel chain managers, consultants, academic personalities and researchers, who were asked to identify the most important problems and challenges facing the hotel market. Among the managers of the chains were both members of senior management, as well as those directly involved in the areas of distribution, information technology, revenue management, marketing and sales.
Growth opportunities in new markets
The report points to globalization as a key factor. Emerging markets, especially Russia, India, China and the Persian Gulf countries, provide great opportunities for the hotel sector, but cannot be treated as a homogeneous whole. For example, customers in China will search, plan and book a hotel differently than Russian customers would. The concept of brand integrity is decisive: hotels will have to offer a homogeneous level of service in an international environment and, at the same time, adapt to serve these customers with new cultures and sensitivities in the respective national markets.
The modern traveler demands experiences based on their personal needs. The hotel industry is aware that it must go further in its adoption of social media. User reviews bring to light the truth of a hotel brand, as customers often turn to people from their same social group as their primary source of information. Now, hotels face the challenge of maintaining high levels of quality and meeting the expectations of customers who have been informed long before choosing the establishment and making the trip.
The most demanding customers of the future will want to interact with a hotel at all touchpoints. Hotels will have to extract and store more data, so access to this information will have to be faster and more accurate to personalize the guest experience.
Technological integration to improve operational efficiency
As the complexity of distribution, channel and content management grows, ensuring full integration between these key systems will be one of hotels' top priorities. It is necessary to facilitate the integration of applications, databases and technical networks, among them and with third-party systems, to optimize collaboration with partners.
The growing importance of the mobile channel is undeniable. Although the use of smaller devices to make reservations has not yet become widespread, it is expected that the technological platforms used by hotel companies should allow the user all kinds of interactions to integrate telephone, fax, PC, PDA and mobile in the future.
Antoine Medawar, Managing Director of Amadeus Hospitality Business Group, said: "The study sends a clear message: the hotel industry is undergoing a period of unprecedented change and will continue to transform. Customers are changing, technology is changing, and markets are changing. It is also a period that provides opportunities never seen before and our commitment is to continue to be at the forefront of the needs and demands of travelers, both now and in the future."
