INTRODUCTION

The domestic and international hospitality and tourist industries have been
steadily growing for several years. The money produced from lodging, food and
beverage, and other services offered to this massive influx of passengers has
catapulted the leisure and hospitality business to the forefront of the global economy.
Technology has become an integral part of our daily life throughout the years. From
turning on the lights in our bedrooms to driving our cars, technology has our back.
However, its abilities are not restricted to individuals; it is also changing the way
corporations run. Hospitality (particularly the hotel business) is one such industry that is
undergoing this shift. The development and ongoing growth of technology, or the
benefits of technology in the hotel sector, has led to a significant increase in end-user
expectations.
Efforts to improve hotel service quality and efficiency encourage and grow a wide
range of technology advancements. The internet's capabilities broaden the scope of
data, expedite its circulation, and customize information. The individual customer's
involvement in the demand for hotel services is growing. Passive customers give way to
proactive customers who create their own criteria for selecting lodgings by integrating
information, evaluating rates and product characteristics in real time, and making online
bookings. Technological developments have a considerable influence on the traditional
hotel service process, affecting the role of consumers on the one hand and changing
the behavior, duties, and activities of hotel management and service workers on the
other.
The hospitality industry is a fast-paced and ever-changing environment. To
recruit and retain a strong long-term client base, today's hospitality firms must be
inventive. Great services and optimized processes should generate positive client
experiences. Different tools and smart technologies are becoming increasingly vital in
streamlining procedures for hospitality firms. Technological advancements are
becoming increasingly common in the hotel sector. It is obvious that investments in
information technology will boost hotel efficiency, save costs, and add value to the
services and products given to clients. Before, during, and after the hotel
accommodation, the service process is modified in response to changes in customer
behavior, their new requirements, and the demands of current technology.
Adapting technological innovation to the peculiarities of hotel services creates
possibilities and problems for hotel management and personnel, as well as consumers.
The successful use of information technology in a hotel organization may be hampered
by obstacles and problems. Employees' desire, ability, and bosses' support are
examples of such hurdles, as are consumers' attitudes and expectations. The hotel
industry's innovation is a multidimensional phenomenon, especially in terms of
information and communication technology and the internet. Tourism is continually
increasing and diversifying, and it has become one of the fastest growing areas of the
world economy.

TOPIC DISCUSSION

In the modern day, technology influences and aids the growth of nearly every
industry. The hotel business is not immune to its consequences. The importance of
technology in the hospitality sector nowadays cannot be overstated. Every lodging
provider on the planet, from a local Accommodations to a big hotel chain, is in some
way dependent on technology! With the introduction of information technology in the
hotel sector, the scenario has altered tremendously.

Hotels all around the world are using the power of technology to boost sales and
enhance customer relations. This demonstrates how important the internet is in the
development of the hotel sector today. Social networking sites such as Facebook,
Twitter, and others are progressively playing a major role in hotel strategy worldwide.
User-generated comments and reviews on such websites play a significant role in
popularizing hotel services through word-of-mouth. Furthermore, the use of information
technology in the hotel business has allowed hoteliers to communicate with and develop
connections with guests through the use of internet platforms.
In hotel bookings, technology in the hotel business has changed the way the
ecosystem works. The whole hospitality ecosystem revolves around the concept of
hotel reservations, and the relevance of information technology in the hotel business is
undeniable.
When it comes to growing reservations and occupancy, the internet has opened
up various doors for hotels to investigate. Be it channel managers who assist in the
distribution of inventory and rates across global OTAs, or social media, which has
created a plethora of opportunities for hotels to tap into, review sites that psychologically
encourage/discourage prospective bookers to make a decision, web booking engines
that entice website visitors to book, aggregators, metasearch, or the mighty Google
itself! - The importance of technology in the hotel sector is widely known. Several
different sorts of websites are working around the clock to bring travel-related products
and services closer to end customers, either by making them available on clients'
desktops or through the rapidly increasing number of mobile phone internet users. Many
utility websites are also sprouting up these days, essentially serving as aggregates of
hotel ratings, comments, and other data for users.
Hotel management all around the world recognize that the internet is an excellent
way to take bookings for their facilities. Although many people are skeptical about its
capacity to promote travel sales and hotel bookings, many others think that internet
promotions are an excellent approach to generate interest and awareness among
customers.
When addressing the relevance of information technology in the hospitality
sector, mobile devices just cannot be overlooked! The influence of mobile on the hotel
sector, as well as the rest of the business world, has been virtually revolutionary. It has
changed hotel-guest communications and allowed hotels to better cater to their visitors'
demands. Hotels may now reach out to their customers via mobile devices via a variety
of channels, including emails, SMS, location-based marketing, and so on. Similarly,
hotel visitors may use their smart devices to study, compare, decide, and book a room
with the touch of a button. With mobile reservations on the rise, hotel marketing plans
are no longer complete without a mobile strategy.
Regarding in-room guest experience, the usage of information technology in the
hotel sector has changed dramatically during the last decade or two. Especially in terms
of in-room encounters. Hotel operators have learned that simply using technology for
front-end and back-end operations would not enough. They must also include
technology into their guest experience plan, since the contemporary traveler expects
nothing less. This is why many hotels now provide keyless room entry, smart control for
much equipment in the room (AC, heating, upholstery), iPads for in-room food orders or
other requests, and so on.
While discussing the relevance of technology in today's hospitality sector, one
cannot disregard its impact on communication and collaboration. Instant communication
has fundamentally altered the way people connect and live. Given that the hospitality
sector is all about providing excellent service, being able to communicate and
coordinate with colleagues quickly is a major advantage. A decade or so ago, if a front
desk employee needed to communicate with the travel desk about picking up a visitor
from the airport that evening, they would have had to do so manually, with no certainty
that the message would arrive in time.Inter-departmental communications may now take
place not just in real time, but also centrally, ensuring that no critical information is lost.
So, all the front desk personnel has to do now is leave a message to the concerned
department via the PMS and the receiver is told in real-time anytime there is a
communication that needs to be done with any department. When the specified work is
completed, they mark it as 'done,' and voila!
Hotel technology has enabled modern hoteliers to operate their businesses
based on data-driven insights. There will be no more "guesstimations," as they say!
There are connectors that link with cloud based PMSs to provide you with every detail
you need regarding reporting, accounting, business intelligence, revenue management,
price intelligence, and competition intelligence. There is a tool for every need, and a
world-class PMS will link you with just the finest integrations so you can manage your
hotel easily, effectively, and sustainably. Obviously, with all of the excitement around
the use of information technology in the hotel sector, it is easy to lose sight of the most
crucial and fundamental purpose served by the internet - the simple distribution of
information. Guests may readily access a broad range of data such as check-in/check-
out times, rate charts, restaurant details, and so on over the internet at any time.
Potential customers can also use publicly accessible information such as events, value
propositions, room furnishings, missions, special pricing, and so on.
 For further information about the importance of different tools and technology in
hospitality industry, let us look at some of the latest trends in hospitality industry brought
by the advancements of different tools and technology nowadays.

Upgrades to Wi-Fi infrastructure: Hotel visitors who travel with gadgets such as
phones, tablets, and computers now consider Wi-Fi to be a must when checking in at a
hotel. Hotel visitors want to be able to connect to the internet without too many
disruptions, prompting hotels to invest in better, faster Wi-Fi infrastructure so that
customers can do business and use their electronic gadgets with ease when they book
their stay.

Services for digital conferences: Hotels must also be able to provide access to audio-
visual (AV) and digital conference facilities. While the quantity of AV and digital
equipment in a normal conference room is relatively little, staging firms are frequently
employed for various projects to equip the venue as needed. Creating easily accessible,
concealed paths in ceilings and flooring where enough power and data communication
may be provided is a critical component in constructing successful conference venues
that can support this sort of equipment. If a hotel has a large conference facility, network
architecture becomes vital to enable interior mobile phone coverage, Wi-Fi connectivity,
VoIP, real time location services (RTLS), and internet protocol television (IPTV), as well
as all the associated AV and digital equipment.

Automation and mobile communication: In many airports, there is no longer a need

to stand in line to check in, and customers expect the same type of simple, technology-
driven check-ins at hotels. Guests want to be able to use a digital device to accomplish
anything from check in at a venue's automated kiosk to ordering room service instead of
waiting in lines and travelling around the hotel grounds to get food. Guests demand
personalized digital interactions with hotels as a result of digital innovation and social
media. Hotel operators are investing in systems and technologies that can personalize
the experience for guests when they invest in digital apps for check-ins, room service,
and other customer-oriented digital interactions, such as a guest's name appearing on
the welcome desk at a digital check-in station; their meal preferences or previous
purchases appearing in a digital room-service order system; and similar. Making an
investment in a check-in/cocierge app, like most other technology emerging trends,
takes a very small initial investment and therefore can result in greater efficiency and
earnings as hotel employees can focus on customer service and real estate developers
don't have to make massive passive reception desks at each entrance and hotel
location.

Near field communication technology: Communication between NFC devices may

transfer data at up to 424 kbits/second and is triggered when two devices contact,
making mobile payments (by tapping the smart phone to a credit card) a quick, secure
operation. This technology is also suitable for self-check-ins by hotel customers, as well
as the following trend discussed in this article: smart room keys. NFC technology may
also be utilized to personalize a guest's experience at a hotel or resort. For example,
advertising can be targeted based on gender and age (for example, if a child walks by a
digital sign in the lobby, the advertisement can change to promote a local theme park or
the hotel's kids club), and this technology can also be used to track loyalty points from a
guest's use of conference facilities or room service. This opens up several opportunities
for hotels who wish to provide a more personalized experience at their facility.

Infrared sensors and robots: In the very advanced generation we have, some hotels
are already providing more futuristic experiences, such as robots bringing room service
orders to guests' doors. Infrared scanners are increasingly being utilized to reduce
housekeeping disturbances (which is a common complaint from customers). Instead of
hanging a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on doors or having cleaning staff wake up traveling
guests with knocks and phone calls, hotel staff can take a more innovative approach by
using infrared scanners that detect body heat within a room and tell cleaning staff that if
the room is currently occupied, they should return later.

Smart room keys: Hotels will increasingly implement smart room entry systems that
allow customers to open their rooms by swiping their phones across a keyless pad on
the door. This technology eliminates the need for guests to pick up keys and eliminates
the need for front desk workers to issue replacement keys in the event that a guest
loses their room key. Fingerprint-activated room entrance systems and retina scanning
gadgets are another novel technique to provide a keyless experience. Retina scanning
is more accurate and safer than fingerprint scanning for controlling and accessing hotel
rooms.

Entertainment on tap: People are increasingly plugging in their own gadgets for in-
room entertainment, according to a Smith Micro Software trend research titled The
Future of Hotel In-Room Entertainment. The television, radio, and clock in the hotel
room are taking a back seat as guests utilize their own devices to keep themselves
engaged. According to a previous Smith Micro Software poll, 81 percent of respondents
requested access to mobile video content at hotels, and 55 percent indicated that
having access to mobile video content at a hotel would affect where they choose to
stay.

Cloud Services: The ability to deliver on-demand entertainment and mobile material
has led to a trend of hotels investing in cloud services. While hotels want to offer digital
material, they don't want to invest in IT equipment or IT people, thus cloud computing is
the right answer.

Social media feedbacks: Technology has permeated practically every part of our lives,
and hotel developers must recognize that almost every person checking in at a hotel,
resort, spa, or lodge will be carrying a smartphone. Many hospitality organizations are
already leveraging social media as visitors check-in on location-based social media
applications, tweet about their experience on Twitter, and post-holiday images with
friends and followers on Instagram and Facebook. This trend will continue, and hotels
should expect even more social media involvement from visitors who utilize these
channels to provide comments, complain, and laud their stay.

Integrated, seamless experiences: Customer experience does not have to be limited

to online and through gadgets, check-ins, and online remarks. All of these experiences
must be part of an integrated, dynamic system so that the marketing and operational
teams may focus on the visitors' experiences. When a guest leaves a comment
regarding their stay at the hotel, for example, the appropriate people must respond and
acknowledge this form of communication. If a visitor complains about not being able to
stream mobile material during their stay, procedures should be put in place to guarantee
that the appropriate person follows up by connecting with the guest and resolving the
issue at the hotel.

Workers in the hospitality industry cannot work in silos any more, and these
technological developments are providing them with the chances, tools, and solutions
they require to create unique experiences that may contribute to good change and
growth in the business.

CONCLUSION

In many aspects, advances in information technology have changed the hotel

business. Services including as booking, invoicing, and wireless internet have elevated
the hospitality business to a new level, while also improving hotel safety and making
clients more comfortable.
Technology is evolving at a rate that will result in more dramatic change than at
any other point in the last century. The hotel business is expected to transition from the
era of labor to the age of Wi-Fi, as equipment becomes more efficient and less labor is
necessary. Restaurants and hotels must adapt to these changes as customers and staff
grow more wireless in their attitude.
The hospitality industry's interaction with technology should be balanced and
harmonious. Technology provides value, generates facilities, and personalizes the stay,
but it may also disrupt the human interactions that visitors want and appreciate. Finding
the appropriate balance of technology and human interactions to provide individualized
visitor experiences while preserving their privacy is a problem for the hospitality and
tourist business. Increasing consumer pleasure via new added value, convenience, and
comfort through technology innovation should be carefully considered and assessed. Its
implementation should boost consumer loyalty and lodging firms' competitiveness.
Without doubts, technology has had a significant influence on the hospitality business. It
provides a centralized platform for both visiting visitors and hotel administration.