Hotels exist within a broad ecosystem, interacting with external entities such as government organizations, star rating systems, destination marketing organizations, academic institutions, research and advisory firms, and owners and investors - to including internal functions and technologies in the areas of guest services and operations, HR and staffing, sales, marketing, loyalty and distribution and revenue strategy. This ecosystem has always been very interconnected, but now these connections are accelerating and deepening for a number of reasons - from consumers' use of mobile and social technologies, to the Internet of Things, to technology companies sharing data more freely through APIs. As the capacity for connections increases, we will continue to see that these connections create value. The hotels and brands that recognize this will make further interconnectivity a priority for their technology programs, and this interconnectivity will ultimately give them the edge through efficiency and innovation. Competitive advantage rarely comes from one technology or department or program - but instead assembling a collection of the best tools, technologies and data sets - and making them all work together seamlessly.
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