Is Your PMS Keeping up with New Hotel Technology Trends?

The hotel industry is estimated to grow by 7% from 2023 to 2025, leading to a market value of $1.05 trillion. To keep up with the competition in a growing market, hoteliers must account for changing trends within the industry. Legacy hospitality management systems often lack the flexibility and adaptability of a cloud-based platform, making it impossible to maintain success and stand out. Here, we’ll discuss new hotel technology trends and what is needed for smooth implementation of a modern PMS.

New Technology Trends in the Hospitality Industry

Technology for Bleisure and Sustainable Tourism Trends

Bleisure Travel. Forbes has predicted that bleisure travel is “on track to take over traditional business travel.” Offering more amenities and services through a guest-facing portal can achieve a better blend of business and leisure (bleisure) experiences.

Sustainable Tourism. According to trivago, sustainable tourism is “a priority — if not a moral imperative — for hospitality leaders and hoteliers around the world.” Sustainable tourism provides your guests with a more eco-friendly experience and prepares your hotel for a cleaner environment for years to come.

There are now tech advancements available to easily promote and provide bleisure experiences and sustainable tourism at your hotel.

AI Tech

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning has been around for a while, but their capabilities in the hospitality industry are still being discovered and utilized. When paired with a hotel PMS, the capabilities are compounded. 

This technology is used to automate staff tasks, reduce human error during data entry, and improve the guest experience. This is extremely helpful for the hospitality industry, which has experienced more labor shortages than other industries.

AI ranges from increased personalization and tailored recommendations to data collection and analysis. For example, you can generate reports that predict future reservation demand based on real-time booking data. 

Contactless Services

Expedited by the pandemic, the convenience of contactless services is here to stay. Statista reported that “a majority of respondents, 62 percent, preferred to check-in and check-out using a hotel app.” Guests appreciate a mobile-friendly website design and the ability to manage room reservations through a guest portal.

Enhanced Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity attacks are one of the most catastrophic experiences a business can go through, and without the right technology in place, you could not only lose trust from your guests but also thousands, if not millions of dollars in the aftermath. 

Only around 25% of all U.S. companies completely adhere to the most recent cybersecurity best practices. 

Advancements in technology allow hotels to deploy cutting-edge cybersecurity measures to protect against attacks like phishing, ransomware, POS attacks, customer data theft, and more.

How a Hospitality Management System Meets New Hotel Technology Trends

Online Communication for Bleisure Accommodations and Eco-friendly Stays

Bleisure Accommodations

A cloud-based PMS allows you to store and manage guest information so you can send personalized marketing emails or SMS messages to a list of bleisure travelers based on their past booking preferences. Through the guest portal, highlight new amenities and accommodations, such as spas, dining, and group activities to meet their bleisure expectations.

Eco-friendly Options

You can also take this time to share your efforts for eco-friendly hotel operations and ask guests if they:

• Would like to save plastic by using electronic room keys
• Upgrade their room with eco-friendly amenities
• Would like to conserve water by skipping daily towel changes in exchange for rewards points
• Prefer a paperless approach to their documentation, such as billing and payment information 

With an integrated hospitality management system, all of these communications can be done without the guest ever needing to stop by the front desk.

Automation That Uses AI and Machine Learning To Streamline Operations

A hotel PMS powered by AI and machine learning can assist with task management, such as automations for  housekeeping, customer support, and front desk operations. For example, chatbots can streamline your operations by offering automated messaging and support for your guests within the guest portal.

Additionally, AI with your hotel PMS can automate notifications for your staff through the staff portal. When guests arrive or need help, your housekeeping staff will know instantly, allowing them to quickly provide any necessary services for your guests.

Virtual Reality and Interactive Booking for Convenient Contactless Services

Touring a new hotel in person is no longer the only option. With the fairly new tech trend of comprehensive virtual reality and interactive maps, you can provide your guests with the ability to roam your hotel freely without traveling to it.

With the right PMS integrations and the customization offered by an open API, online visitors may be able to virtually tour rooms and nearby attractions, such as restaurants and activities. You may be able to utilize interactive maps to provide a more expansive and comprehensive tour of your hotel with the right customizations from your open API. 

Virtual reality and interactive booking features have the potential to increase booking (and revenue) as well as improve the guest experience all at once.

Cybersecurity Measures

With the growth of online reservations, there is a need for hotels to provide a secure way for their guests to make online payments. It’s equally important to protect the valuable guest data once it’s been stored within your database. 

Integrations such as online payment options that have end-to-end encryption protect credit card information and prevent theft. Additionally, a cloud-based PMS provides data backup solutions for all of this information, reducing the risk of data breaches, which could cause catastrophic damage to your business and reputation.

Future-proof Your Hotel with Solonis Hotel Management Software

To keep up with the ever-changing trends in the hospitality industry, you’ll need to incorporate the right technologies and practices into your hotel operations. Aligning with hotel technology trends is easier when your hotel management software has hundreds of integrations designed for the future growth of your business.

Discover what’s new for the industry and how you can capitalize on hospitality technology now. Download your complimentary guide, Hospitality Technology: What To Expect for the Hotel Industry in 2023.