How AI, AR, and VR are Shaping the Hospitality Industry

Today, as we stand at the brink of a new era of technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) have become a significant part of our daily lives. And it should come as no surprise that the hospitality industry is also experiencing the seismic shift.

As per reports, “by 2029, the Indian hospitality industry is projected to reach Rs 35 Trillion”.

Any customer experiences millions of tiny queries and concerns popping in their head from the time of check-in all the way to check out.

Big industry players like Marriot and Four Seasons as well as service providers like AirBnB have been addressing these queries forever through traditional practices and human centricity in their services.

But gone are the days when the warm smiles and a comfortable stay were all that it took to make the guests return to the same hotel. But in the age of smart phones and devices, answers too must come through smartphones and devices.

• The thriving $570 Billion hospitality industry is augmenting itself by integrating AR in hotel industry with the $31 Billion Augmented Reality industry.

• The $30 Billion VR industry is projected to value over $110 Billion by 2025 and hospitality will undeniably be a major shareholder.

• Over 70% of travel agencies along with over 60% of hotels have adopted AI in its entire magnificence.

• Indian hospitality sector has seen a 3.75% drop in the Average Room Rate and is expected to see a 15.2% rise by 2025.

Examples of Extended Realities in Hospitality

• The Hub Hotels, which is a part of the Premier Inn hospitality mammoth, has been playing around with interactive hotel rooms with maps pinpointing local attractions and places of interest.

• Best Western hotel group collaborated with Disney to allow guests and especially children to see them enjoy the room with Disney characters as their roommates.

• The Atlantis hotel group based in Dubai has included a VR tour powered through VR-enabled glasses.

• Amadeus allows customers to use VR headsets to book flights as well as look for hotel rooms along with other tourism-based integrations

5 mins read: Experiential Dining

• The Marriot group is known for implementing AI-powered facial recognition tech to perform seamless check-ins.

• The Mansion uses AR-powered brochures to give an immersive experience of their offerings.

• “Connie” is an AI-enabled robot working in Hilton Hotels.

Applications of AR in Hospitality

1. AR for Tourist Info

The customers can simply point their smartphone at a map in their room or somewhere within the hotel and the app shows additional information, sights, and photos along with an option to get there through on-demand taxi service integration.

2. AR Gamification

With interactive hotel rooms becoming a norm, the integration of AR technology into hotel booking will rise to be the norm. Customers can be allowed to control their room with IoT-enabled systems simply through their smartphones. Virtual switchboards and heating mechanisms will flourish.

3. Augmented Hotel Environments

Basic amenities like pool or recreation room to keep the guests are entertained are just not enough these days. People are always looking for newer and better experiences.

This is where AR-powered hotel environments help guests experience realistic virtual depictions that enhance their real environment.

Applications of VR in Hospitality

1. VR Powered Hotel Tours

The customers landing on the site or using the hotel’s dedicated app can take a virtual walk through the virtual corridors of the virtual hotel and see their virtual rooms with the virtual furniture and virtual facilities through these virtual reality tours.

2. VR Assist in Travel Planning

Applications of AI in Hospitality

1. Customer Service

AI to deliver in-person customer service is an idea being toyed around. With AI enabled robots being developed, a fascinating array of implications can be seen. Not just robots but AI-powered augmented avatars can help redefine the guest experience at every stage of their stay.

2. Facial Recognition

On arrival at the hotel, the customer simply has to smile at a kiosk to get their check-in approved. Additionally, through the Beacon technology, virtual keys would be sent to their smartphones via Bluetooth, making it a milestone in contact-less check-in services.

The Travel Industry

• A fall of 55% in the global tourism sector has invariably shown consequences in India as well.
•  IATA is expecting a recovery only by 2023.
•  Extended realities are expected to drive the 6.7% projected increase of the Indian hospitality sector.
• The AI hospitality market will cross $1.2 Billion mark globally by 2026.
• The CAGR growth is expected to exceed 9.7%.

Conclusion

• As a response to COVID, the sector is looking to automate some sections of their business.

• Automation helps the business achieve operational efficiency as well as protects them from disruptions.
• A survey has concluded that “smart hospitality” is expected to rise above 25% by 2021.

Artificial Intelligence and big data processing is now crucial to every industry. With loads and loads of consumer data pouring in from a multitude of touchpoints, it is inevitable that all this data has to be processed to make sense and sculpt the next major industry offering.

Also read: How AR VR Impacts the Retails Sales

Augmented Reality is imperative in the hospitality industry because of the amount of information a customer would require during the booking process. By allowing the customer to experience an augmented model of the room, the satisfaction multiplies manifold.

By allowing the guests to experience nearby sights and tourist spots, VR integration into a hotel or tourism website can greatly influence the local market.

To know more about personalization possibilities and the unending advantages of AR, VR, and AI, and the advancement of technology in the hospitality industry, visit EDIIIE. We keep ourselves updated on the latest trends and happenings throughout the industry.