Hotels Invest in Technology Despite the Economic Downturn Due to Its Positive Impact in the Industry
Research has predicted that $290 million will be spent on technology alone across new hotels in the Middle East and there will be over 108,600 rooms coming online by 2011.
This coupled with the crowded and lucrative nature of the industry has meant that hotel operators and owners have woken up to the need to invest in state-of-the-art technology as a way to differentiate them and remain competitive.
In a recent survey sent to over 2000 individuals it was found that over 50% of respondents were spending the majority of their IT budgets on in-room entertainment as a way to stay on top of their competitors.
Today's guests arrive at a hotel with a high level of expectations - a hotel room needs to be their home away from home, and offer new services, experiences and conveniences. But, how do you maintain the balance of achieving a healthy bottom line while enhancing the guest experience, create guest loyalty and attract new guests? The key to creating the new guest-centric environment is to integrate the right technologies in the right way to create a ubiquitous and efficient network that can support guest services and hotel operations.
Keith Pearce, VP of Marketing, Alcatel-Lucent EMEA, a fourteen year veteran of the high tech industry, who has worked extensively in new and emerging technology markets - drawing on experience as a television news reporter and US Senate staffer. In an upcoming conference Keith will discuss how to deliver next-generation guest-centric services and entertainment without breaking the bank. Focusing on maintaining the balance of achieving a healthy bottom line while enhancing the guest experience and exploring advanced communication applications and services that address guest expectations and improve staff and back office efficiency.
2nd Annual Hotel Technology Middle East will deliver world class case studies and exclusive high level networking opportunities, it will bring together senior individuals from developers, hotel owners, hotel operators and consultants from across the region and globally.
The event is a unique forum for regional and international hotel owners and operators to discuss the key issues and latest developments in creating world-class hotels through effective integration of technology. It will focus on the most pressing issues and challenges facing hotel operators and owners in the Middle East including: the importance of technology in enhancing guest satisfaction, reducing operating costs through innovative energy management systems and integrating strategic security measures to prevent data loss.
