Smart Hotels

According to the report from Amadeus and Fastfuture, the future of hotels features connectivity and personalization. The entire hospitality industry is changing by tech savvy, Generation Y and following generations. Smart hotels become the new trend with the implementation of various technologies and innovation(Figure 1). These technologies and innovation not only improve the operation process but also improve the service quality and meet guest preferences better. The article will give you a precise explanation about this trend with some examples of newly-used technologies in smart hotels.

Figure 1.

Source: http://www.amadeus.com/web/binaries/blobs/173/754/Hotels_Whitepaper_2020BeyondSegmentation.pdf

Mobile Technologies

The number of smart phones and tablets users are increasing dramatically worldwide in recent years and it will continue growing in the future. Some hoteliers realize the change of visitor behavior and take advantage of it.

By the end of 2014, 1000 Accor hotels will use tablets and smart phones to provide fast check-in and check-out services. Customers will receive practical location information of the hotel and do check-in before arrival. Receptionists will interact with clients directly in the entrance instead of hiding behind the desk. It is time-saving  because room keys will be prepared before customers arrival and the bill will be delivered by email after leaving. (Figure 2.)

Figure 2.

Source: http://skift.com/2014/04/29/accor-drops-the-hotel-check-in-desk-for-a-mobile-app/

Intercontinental Hotel Group cooperates with Samsung Company to use Galaxy phone as a room key to access rooms. Customers can also use it inside the room to control temperature, lights, TV; order room service and meals; read news as well as make local and international calls.

Video 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmBHRLzJNXY

The Hub Hotel by Premier Inn is a new hotel established in 2014. It makes guests’ hotel experience highly interacts with technology, which allows guests book rooms, check-in, order meals, search location information, make friends and control the room facilities with mobile phone and the hotel app.

Video 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfvkOznDr2o

Comparing to traditional ways it is more convenient and secure for both hoteliers and guests. However, there exists a big problem. Travelers may have not internet access in the destination and in some places wifi coverage is very limited.

Smart TV and Smart Glass

Many companies work on smart hotel TV systems, such as Samsung, Philips and Guesttek. It is used widely from hotel booking to check-out. With the technology guests can contact with the concierge directly in room through the screen on the wall like video chat. For customers, the face to face communication implies reliability and personalization. The concierge could provide personal service, send personal messages, and answer questions anytime customer want, so that customer satisfaction will increase. In addition, clients can watch the view of the destination, the street, the public place of the hotel and play games on smart TV.

Video 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icePl3iVHFo

In the future, it will be more difficult for customers to tell the difference between mirror, glass, TV and wall, because they will change to each others by just a gesture. In the Eccleston Square Hotel in London, the transparent glass can be changed to a non-transparent wall and the mirror can be changed to a smart TV by just a gesture.

Video 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKM55zjLJE8

Customers can benefit a lot from smart TV and smart Glass. Although the technology  is not mature yet and the implementation costs a lot of money, it will be popular in the future.

In Room Entertainment Technologies

The competition among hotels is becoming more and more intense, especially luxury and boutique hotels. They want to be outstanding and unique, not only be considered as an accommodation but also as a destination. As a result, in room entertainment is one of the most important elements. In Eccleston Square Hotel, the bed can be changed into a massage bed. 

Video 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd7v1pB-w1o

Moreover, the pattern of the carpet can be changed into whatever you like. IPhones can be hanged wherever, even on the smooth wall. Clients can watch 3D TV programs and movies from smart TV and also play games. All of these improve customer experience and increase customer satisfaction.

Video 6: http://skift.com/2013/08/10/6-innovations-for-hotel-room-of-the-future/#1

No doubt that more and more technologies will be integrated within hotels in the future from reservation to check-out process. Smart hotels will be welcomed by the younger generations who are more easily to accept information technologies and innovation than their parents. However, some people worried that new technologies may bring new problems. For example, if the guest lose the smart phone, it means that he or she also lose the key for the hotel room. Moreover, privacy issues also should be pay highly attention on when using high technologies. Therefore, there must be a test before implementing a new technology in hotel in order to make sure everything will go smoothly. In addition, new policies and systems should be created cooperating with new technologies to avoid conflicts on the safety, privacy and right of customers.

Xiuting & Cong

Projection Mapping

--- Add extra dimension to your event experience

Compare nowadays events with those in the old age, one of the biggest differences is the technology that used for the event. Nowadays events are more likely prefer to provide a memorable experience to all the participants, which can be realize by the use of new technology. Numerous high-tech products keep jumping into people’s eyes, one technique is particularly eye-catching -- the projection mapping.

Projection mapping, also called video mapping or spatial augmented reality, is a projection technology that uses various complex objects such as building surface as the background of video projection. It achieves a vivid audio-visual effect, sometimes even 3D and 4D narrative. This ground breaking and usually large-scaled A/V technique has much potential in branding, advertising, and leaving an indelible experience. Artists and advertisers have already taken advantage of this new technique to create the wow effect in shows and celebrations.

A projection mapping was created for the Prague’s famous Astronomical Clock when it turned 600 years. To celebrate this great day, the projection mapping showed a vivid animation that consisted of the defining moments in Prague’s history. It was a marvellous design for it had combined the medieval architecture and modern technology together perfectly. Audience was amazed by the fantastic spectacle. It was a feast for eyes and made the audience immersed. 

The Light Harvest of the Manhattan Bridge was another great example of projection mapping. The theme was mostly embodied in lines which showed the heavily rusticated facade of the bridge. The whole projection mapping mostly took place in the tunnels underneath the bridge. It shined in the curved ceiling. The tunnel became animated. Audience felt like being part of the projection mapping.

Besides, there is projection mapping not immense but charming and more practical in event practice. There was a music video that used projection mapping to create a virtual world. Just by using two blank walls with a treadmill, the nifty projection showed its creativity. This simple music video gives an idea to event design for how to interact with audience and to involve the attendees.

Using those cases above as references, we can see a promising future of the projection mapping to help event planners achieving their goals. It is always interesting and attracting to offer such kind of A/V experience during an event. Giving it meaningful contents, projection mapping can be used in product launch, incentive project, educational event, gala dinner, etc. People are always pleased to see lively and novel things, which exactly what the projection mapping presents to life. Once the participants’ eyes are caught by the projection video displayed in the event, they will be delighted, and they are very much possible to record, then share the video to others, also talk about it with their friends and families. In such way, the event is making the viral advertising and brand marketing with the help and interaction of their customers.

Among diverse of technologies, projection mapping can be a great helper assisting and enriching the event. Its impact is not only about the event, it is as well beyond the event.   

Sources:
http://www.creativebloq.com/video/projection-mapping-912849  
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Projection_mapping
http://www.driveproductions.co.uk/4d-projection-mapping/

Pictures:

http://www.praha.eu/jnp/en/entertainment/leisure_activities/prague_astronomical_clock_video_mapping.html

http://io9.com/5870571/watch-manhattan-bridge-transform-into-a-dreamscape-of-light-and-shadow
http://design.style4.info/tag/projection-mapping/

http://imvdb.com/blog/2013/03/video-chats-filip-sterckx-on-sweater-by-willow

Posted bySang ZHAOandSiqi ZHANG

Amadeus makes surprise move into airport common use – should the competition be worried?

By Rhyan Ghee - Future travel experience, 3rd April 2014

Previously, we clarified the benefits, issues and challenges of cloud computing in the hotel industry.

In order to close our blog addressing a new subject, we now focus on the impacts of this new technology tool in the air transportation industry.

The selected article deals with one of the solutions brought by cloud computing in tourism; here namely regarding the going onsite of traditional common system at airport.

First, the author briefly describes the product introduced by Amadeus at the airport and stresses out the benefits for such infrastructure.

ACUS - Amadeus Aiport Common Use Service- is a next-generation solution; a cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS) platform that maximizes boarding and check in areas, without costly and online servers. It allows airlines and ground handlers to share the physical space and IT resources of the airport, and which Amadeus says helps to eliminate the burdens of hosting and development. Plus, the centralisation of the system is a real advantage for all the airports.

Secondly, the author addresses one of the key feature of the system; the compliancy. Thus, the solution provided is also useful for and compatible with other airlines services for passengers, such as the CUPPS (Common Use Passenger Processing Systems) industry standard.

Thirdly, as a result, the article shows the extension of this new-generation system in other airports and showcases the potential of such solution in the airlines industry. The system has been tested over several other airport like in Germany and South Africa and has proved to be a great success, thanks to its rapidity and reliability, comparing to existing systems. As for the Head of Airport IT at Amadeus, the airports should be ready to embrace such solution, that tackles both commercial and operational issues and showing good performance creating a more flexible and shared environment.

As a conclusion, it is clear for the author that this platform brings efficiency, a smarter and better passenger experience for any airports, but could induce a shift in the competitive sector of this industry.

Cloud computing has proved to be a success for the hotel industry, but its efficiency and reliability is tested for the implementation in the airlines system. Hence the problematic: is this next-generation technology system a key solution for transportation industry in tourism?

Because airports have to deal with more and more challenges and issues, adopting innovative tool is not a trend anymore but a key to remain competitive. The product provided by Amadeus to airlines showcases the revolutionary solutions of cloud computing in the airlines. However, issues and challenges remain the same as for the hotel industry, regarding security and efficiency, which will convince airports to adopt such system or not.

Innovation in Airport Management system turned out to be a real need for infrastructures. Indeed, airport infrastructures have not only to tackle day-to-day operational and commercial issues, but also have to respond to higher expectations of passengers and manage more and more customers. The video in the article reflects the difficulty of managing passengers processing operations, which are complicated and expensive. Plus, airports also have to deal with overcapacity and its consequences.

Since the majority of the world’s airports currently run a traditional and expensive common use model, including a long-term supplier and on-site IT infrastructure, cloud computing system appears as a real revolution compared to the existing systems for several reasons.

First, it is a cloud-based solution that is centrally hosted in a single data centre. Airlines will thus be able to reduce costs thanks to centralised connectivity to airports and simplified passenger processing. Secondly, as a result, airports can run all of the network connections from one single platform. Plus, the adoption of cloud computing solution such as Amadeus ACUS will allow airports to eliminate costly on-site systems, lowering their operational expenses and minimising their environmental impact. Furthermore, they will improve their agility and flexibility to respond to unforeseen situations such as weather disruptions and traffic peaks.

Last but not least, such platform as the one provided by Amadeus creates Business Intelligence. Indeed, it stores knowledge about travelers, gathers information about the duration of their stay, how they move, and which product they consume.

Such next-generation system is a multi airport, multi airline solution, adaptable to any-sized business. It respects industry standards and goes beyond. It enhances agility and scalability, greater operational resilience, brings savings in cost, space and time. As a consequence of these streamlined operations, passengers will benefit from a quick and fluid airport experience.

Though, it seems to be clear that cloud computing solution brings many advantages for airport infrastructures. The question is if airports will trust the reliability and efficiency of such technology system and invest in its potential. Indeed, cloud computing solutions have to be carefully managed, in order to tackle security concerns, increased bandwidth costs, control and customisation, possible downtime and other technical issues or increased costs overtime for example.

To conclude, airports, as hotels did before, will first test cloud computing solutions before embracing it. Issues remain the same for both industries: really understand this revolutionary tool and train the staff to better manage operational and commercial issues as well as future challenges in order to be competitive and respond to customers needs.

Cloud computing can especially provide a better travel experience, as Airport in Madeira, Portugal pointed out; The cloud created not just money-saving advantages for the airport but also direct benefits for passengers as well.

Thales Portugal cites “increased efficiencies that will improve the passenger experience” as well as “significantly reducing the airport’s carbon footprint by optimizing energy consumption.”

Marie-Astrid Barral & Baptiste Lignel

References:

http://www.techwell.com/2013/05/how-cloud-computing-makes-great-forecast-flying

http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/amadeus-airport-common-use-service-goes-live/

Video of Amadeus’ platform explainations:

http://www.amadeus.com/groundhandlers/videoboxes/common-use-service.html?iframe=true&width=852&height=480

Enhance your collaboration by experiencing TelePresence tool !

Within a globalised context, companies use more and more virtual meetings, defined by Wikipedia as live meetings or presentations conducted over the internet. Indeed, those virtual meetings enable companies to drive the costs down by avoiding catering or AV fees and travel hassles. They are environmentally friendly, easily recordable and available 24/7 and globally reachable.

According to Tandberg, when a meeting demands to see the reaction and the body language in order to build good relationship, one virtual meeting is really useful: telepresence !

More than video conferencing, telepresence tool enable corporations to meet at distance and thanks to a high definition video that follow your eyes while speaking; they build strong relationship like they are face-to-face.  

Here, we would like to provide you a SWOT analysis of this tool

Strenghts	Weaknesses
-          Help companies to gain productivity       -          High technology : high video quality,  give the  impression to the attendees to be all in the same room       -          Simple to use without training       -          Highly valuable product considering the influence and evolution of teleworkers.       -          Secured tool       -          Reduce travel costs       -          Environmentally friendly	-          Technology Cost : really expensive product       -          Only for 6-12 persons in small rooms       -          Still a niche market
Opportunities	Threats
-          Spread and use different channels to reduce the costs: possibility to rent rooms       -          Offer a certification : Get more trust in the product by the consumers       -          Find global carrier that could provide everything at the same time.	-          High Competition in the market : always need to be innovative and reactive       -          Government regulations       -          Security requirements change rapidly       -        Rapid changes in technology

This Telepresence tool is highly appreciated when used and enable companies to gain competitiveness and enhance their profitability. Indeed, Virtela, global managed network, security and cloud Services Company, estimates “that a company that typically spends $23 million on travel annually can recover roughly 385,000 hours of productivity and save up to $7 million in travel costs by using telepresence solutions to handle some of its meetings”.

So do not wait, invest in telepresence !

Sébastien Haag & Anne-Lucie Talarmin

Article Telepresence

Sources : http://www.cisco.com/web/FR/telepresence/customer-transformations.html

http://www.arthesis-diffusion.fr/p-66-telepresence.html

Wearable technology for tourism and events – is there real added value?

Wearable computing has experienced increased attention in the media lately thanks to the recent news concerning the official launch of Google Glass in mid-April. There are several innovative ways how the tourism and events industry can also benefit from this concept in order to increase customer satisfaction and make events more memorable.

The UK airline Virgin Atlantic, for example, tested various wearable devices such as Google Glass and Sony’s Smartwatch technology in order to personalize service touch points and thus improve passengers’ travel experience (Digital Tourism Think Tank, 2014; Briden, 2014). These tools allowed staff to provide travellers with real-time information concerning the flight status, weather, and local events taking place at the destination as well as enable on-the-spot translation. Future goals lie in using the technology to keep track of “passengers’ personal preferences, such as dietary requirement, refreshment preferences or anything else that could provide a more personal service experience” (Briden, 2014).

Events can also be improved by adopting wearable computing into the creation of experiences. Pepsi, for example, used digital wristbands at a sponsored music event in order to measure crowd reaction and act accordingly. These wristbands provided events staff with real-time information on audience movement, sound levels, and body and ambient temperature, which was then used to adjust lightning, room temperature, and sound selection in order to create a more memorable and exciting attendee experience. According to Rana June, the founder and C.E.O. of Lightwave (the technology used at the event), “the underlying goal is to provide deeper, more meaningful insights about what’s happening beyond someone with a clicker saying 1,000 people walked in” (Sorrells, 2014). The information can also give valuable demographic information if guests agree to provide it.

Business events and trade shows can also make use of such wearable technologies. Information transmitted by the gadgets at trade shows can be used “to tell you how people are feeling during a keynote or what talking points are resonating [by measuring applause levels], or what booths people are spending time at” (Sorrells, 2014).

As technology progresses, so will the tools available in the future and the innovative ways they can be used in tourism and events. The question that is often raised is whether these technologies provide real and relevant innovation or if they are just nice “toys” that distinguish companies from their competitors. At what point do they contribute real added value that noticeably improves customer satisfaction?

Today many of the wearable computer devices are still being tested for various uses across different industries, but it is imaginable that in the not-so-far future they will provide real improvements and become a standard for enhancing customer experiences, especially in the tourism and events industry. As this industry places a particular emphasis on customer satisfaction, which can be difficult to measure, the insight provided by wearable technological devices could end up revolutionizing how service is provided.

Aline Biber & Caitlin Richardson

Sources:

Briden, P. (2014, April 24). Google Glass Release Date, Features And Price: Too Creepy To Succeed? Knowyourmobile.com. Retrieved from http://www.knowyourmobile.com/google/google-glass/21388/google-glass-release-date-features-and-price-too-creepy-succeed

Digital Tourism Think Tank. (2014, February 21). Wearable technology and personalization. Digital Tourism Think Tank. Retrieved from http://thinkdigital.travel/knowledgestream/wearable-technology-and-personalisation/

Sorrells, M. (2014, April 1). New Digital Wristband Measures Crowd Reaction at Events. Bizbash. Retrieved from http://www.bizbash.com/new-digital-wristband-measures-crowd-reaction-at-events/new-york/story/28197#.U1zGHhaGhd1

Image: Freedigitalphotos.net, 2014. Retrieved from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net