Planning a trip this year aboard a cruise ship? The thought of sailing away on crystal blue waters, sipping piña coladas while heading to an exotic location, and indulging in endless buffet options seem too good to be true. However, one drawback to cruise travel has long been limited Wi-Fi access and technology aboard ships. Recently though, cruise travel has stepped up its tech game, allowing travelers the opportunity to stay connected as they unwind on a vacation on the high seas.

Cruise passengers no longer have to worry about missed opportunities for Instagram-worthy selfies with the ocean as a backdrop. The tide is changing for tech-savvy cruisers who can soon expect to no longer forfeit the ability to stay in contact with the world back on dry land.

1. Connectivity

As 24 million people are expected to set sail in 2016, the cruise line sector has realized the significance of responding to the needs of these modern guests and are now offering more cruise ship technology, such as Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity options. For example, 24/7 Internet cafes are making an appearance, with select ships providing access to the Internet from guests’ personal devices. Increased Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the ships and in staterooms are aiding guests to remain plugged-in for a small fee.

2. Service Innovation

Staying ahead of the game has been crucial for cruise lines to attract guests from all generations. The technological creativity introduced on the latest cruise ships are designed to combine the best of traditional cruise travel and modern digital perks. New features, such as facial recognition technology that allows guests to locate cruise photos using software that identifies facial features, are just a few of the modern touches cruise lines have embraced.

Brands such as Crystal Cruises are taking it a step further with innovation by offering their guests some sort of mobile services while they are out at sea. Crystal recently christened a new vessel, Crystal Esprit, which will offer guests the ability to view information and services through in-room tablets and a mobile guest app. It’s a huge development for the industry. These innovative additions invite guests to take a more active and personalized role in their entire vacation.

3. Personalized Guest Experience and Satisfaction

Cruises are working hard to appeal to all ages and demographics, especially as multigenerational travel continues to enjoy popularity. “In an effort to make cruising the best overall vacation experience available, the industry is continuing to evolve to ensure there truly is a cruise for every travel style and budget,” said Cindy D’Aoust, acting CEO of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

Partnerships between cruise lines and other big names, like LEGO, Hermes, and Margaritaville, provide passengers the opportunity to interact with their favorite brands. And many cruises feature a variety of amenities like bumper cars, designer shops, and movie theaters.

Moving forward, cruise lines will be able to follow the example being set by many other industries by jumping on the S.S. Big Data. Mobile technology can be leveraged to gather information from guests during and even before a voyage about their interests and preferences n order to be more strategic in such offerings.

Cruise lines are swiftly sailing ahead into the future, thanks to their embrace of mobile and other technologies. To learn more about how the INTELITY platform can be incorporated at your property or cruise line, contact us to schedule a demo.

For the hospitality industry, being competitive when it comes to attracting guests and gaining their loyalty has never been more important, but it is also more of a challenge in this digitally obsessed age with tablets, smartphones, smartwatches, and other devices, which are all increasing in prevalence. Creating a winning strategy with guests has been taken to the next level, and your digital playbook has to be top notch to keep guest satisfaction high. Still, scoring a touchdown with guest service mobile technology does not have to involve a large number of gadgets.

In 2013, a Forrester survey emphasized the importance of using mobile technology to reach guests in the hospitality industry. According to the survey,

“74 percent of business leaders view mobile as a major priority. In fact, since 2009, the number of leisure travelers using their mobile devices for travel has increased by more than 450%.”

Hospitality businesses that want to stay relevant to guests should invest in and implement systems that allow customers to use appropriate digital channels to improve their stay. The modern traveler’s needs have adapted to require a more sophisticated and personalized touch, and making it to the end zone can be as simple as making a touchdown pass to your guests where they spend a significant amount of time making travel arrangements and connecting with brands – mobile devices.

Sports fans know that a football game begins even before the teams set foot on the gridiron on game day, and similarly, cultivating an intimate connection with your guests begins before they step foot on your property for a stay. Certain software, such as INTELITY’s hospitality technology platform, gives guests the ability to communicate preferences and service requests before their stay to allow you to better meet their needs. Anticipating the needs of your guests by using this information strategically will assist in establishing your brand identity as one that prioritizes service, a sure way to earn points toward building loyalty.

One of the newer mobile features that can provide an extra conversion point for your digital strategy is giving guests the ease of checking in via mobile in order to skip the traditional check-in, such as standing in a long line at the front desk. Mobile key entry, pre-arrival services, mobile check-in are just the beginning of how innovation can change your relationship with guests.

Technology that helps the guest make the most of their stay or makes the guest room a true oasis is also vital. In-room tablets can provide access to a variety of services and benefits to improve guestroom experiences, such as automated room environment controls, digital wake-up calls, and mobile room service orders, as well as immediately transmitting requests to staff for expedited response. Beefing up your digital strategy also affords the opportunity to electronically gather data that allows you to analyze and track the areas your business can improve to ensure everyone who leaves your hotel is a true fan.

Implementing cutting-edge hospitality technology to supplement your hotel’s repertoire of strategic guest service plays is key to winning a ring rather than losing out to your competition. So avoid fumbling the ball and step up your digital game when it comes to engaging with guests on an impactful level by utilizing technology to its fullest potential.

staySky Resort Management provides a full menu of services encompassing all aspects of hospitality property operations, including human resource management, accounting, marketing, purchasing, centralized reservations, information technology.

Vice President Sandy Wade has worked in sales, marketing and operational leadership positions for Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank UK, Virgin Holidays Worldwide, Access USA, and Integra Resort Management. With 20 years in the hospitality industry, Sandy is recognized as a sales, marketing and management leader with expertise in global revenue generation through domestic and international distribution channels.

Here she speaks about her observations about the impact of technology on the industry.

How does your company currently utilize guest technology?

We are present in all of the prominent social media channels to make sure we can provide our guests with fast and efficient customer service. We answer 100% of the reviews guests write about our properties and we have a weekly meeting to discuss the opportunities for improvement mentioned in online reviews. We also have an incentive program in place to congratulate and reward our hard-working staff for their outstanding job when they are mentioned by name in a review. We engage with guests when they mention un on a tweet, tag us, check-in online at our property, ask us direct questions online or post about us in the various social media channels.

Does it differ depending on the property’s target market?

Not really. Most travelers are now using technology to make sure they can have a flawless vacation experience. It doesn’t matter how different the demographics are for each target market; they’re all becoming travel-savvy and taking advantage of online resources.

Which technologies do you enjoy or benefit from using most during your own travel?

Mobile technology and online resources. Looking at online reviews, travel blogs, Pinterest boards, and online forums is the best way to get the real scoop of what a hotel is like, what the best transportation option is and how to get the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to amenities.

Digital surveys provide a real opportunity to impress our guests and hear their thoughts before they post any negative feedback online.

Which hotel technologies are you most excited by or interested in for the future?

Travel websites such as Expedia now allow guests to send instant feedback to hotels of how their stay is going. Surveys are sent to the guest that share their email at check-in, so guests can share their private and honest feedback with us while they are still at our property. That gives us the opportunity to try to turn that guest’s experience around if they happen to mention having any issues during their stay. Before this technology came around, all a hotel could do was apologize for their shortcomings. Now we have a real opportunity to impress our guests and hear their thoughts before they post any negative feedback online.

Most of your company’s properties are based in central Florida. How do you think this region’s hospitality market differs from the nation when it comes to views on or adoption of hotel technology?

Florida is a hospitality giant, so people expect greatness. The theme parks in Orlando definitely set a high standard of service and innovative technology, so businesses are forced to meet those standards if they want to remain relevant and competitive. I believe guests’ expectations in Florida far exceed the expectations a guest would have if traveling to a remote part of the country where tourism isn’t the main focus.

What would you say is the biggest impact technology has had on the hospitality and travel industries within the past 5 years?

Mobile technology and social media have completely changed the travel industry. You can now price check hotels, airline tickets, and attraction tickets on the go, right from your phone. You can also read about other guests’ experiences at the hotel you are looking to stay and have a better idea of what to expect. Hotels rarely get walk-ins anymore, because guests usually research prices and amenities using online travel agents like Expedia and Booking.com before even stepping foot in a hotel lobby. So when they arrive they already know how much your rate is, what it’s included in the rate and what guests are saying about your property.

Most people, regardless of their age, are using technology during their travel journey.

How greatly do you think the impact of technology on the travel journey differs depending on age?

Younger users tend to be more active on a variety of social media channels, ranging from microblogs to travel online forums. That allows them to have more information and resources during their travel journey. That usually means more savings and smoother travel experience. But even if indirectly, most travelers are benefiting from technology when traveling. Whether it is using a GPS device or asking friends for travel tips on a quick Facebook “survey,” most people, regardless of their age, are using technology during their travel journey.

What are your predictions for industry trends that will improve or impact guest experience in 2016?

Wow, that’s a tough one…there are so many opportunities for guests to interact with hotels. I think we’ll see more use of apps while in-house, which will allow guests to order room service, request extra pillows or towels, and check out all from your phone.

As the Head of Global SEO, Valentine is responsible for driving organic growth at HomeAdvisor, the largest online local home services marketplace to match homeowners and pre-screened service professionals. He also consults and advises businesses to help them drive sustainable and profitable growth.

In this interview, Valentine provides insight and tips into how hotels can find success when it comes to building and maintaining a digital audience.

What are some of the hot, up-and-coming SEO trends?

On one hand, the basic principles of SEO have not changed much over the years. On the other hand, some aspects of SEO change so frequently that keeping up with those trends and staying ahead of the curve is a job in and of itself. For example, Google averages about 1-2 changes per day and are constantly testing many other changes. If you’re using Google, you’re almost certainly participating in one or more of their tests.

SEO is the art and science of being found where potential customers are looking.

That said, here is a summary of some recent SEO trends with links for more in-depth information:

1. Google continues to find new ways to eat its own search results, with sub-par products causing valuable search real estate to either disappear or be monetized by Google. This has been particularly noticeable in the travel industry (eg hotels and flights).
2. Google has made more algorithm changes than ever, resulting in Algo Sandwiches that make it more difficult for innocent webmasters to troubleshoot drops in traffic.
3. Google continues to expand the visibility of their own products, like featured snippets, which effectively scrapes content from other websites and re-packages it to keep users on Google longer.
4. Another obvious, but a recent trend is mobile. We live in a multi-device world and it’s becoming more critical to have a consistent and quality experience suited to various devices. Google even has a specific penalty dedicated to mobile-friendly (or unfriendly) websites.

What would you recommend to hotels looking to apply these trends?

To put it simply, make sure you have a presence on any popular sites where people might be searching for you. This is the essence of SEO, which I define as Search Experience Optimization. While you shouldn’t ignore the major search engines, SEO is the art and science of being found where potential customers are looking.
For example, many people skip the search engine altogether and go directly to their favorite travel website. If you’re not sure about the best way to approach this, you should work with a quality SEO consultant.

I recently read that some hoteliers have difficulty getting conversions through mobile websites, although many travelers use mobile for pre-travel planning and research. Do you have any recommendations for ways to improve in this area?

One of the best things you can do is test this process for yourself on popular mobile devices. Put yourself in the shoes of the consumer and try to book a hotel room through your mobile website or app and pay close attention to your experience. Make note of any pain points. Improve the experience by reducing these pain points. Rinse and repeat.

The more friction, the less likely a conversion will result.

 

The process should be as smooth and quick as possible. Generally speaking, the more friction you have the less likely someone is to convert. Test, test, test! You can also implement user testing where you can get feedback from actual users.

What are some of your personal favorite technologies to use when you travel? Does that differ when your reason for travel is leisure vs. business?

I always travel with my phone and almost always with my tablet and laptop. And I generally won’t stay anywhere that doesn’t offer WiFi.

Could you share an experience you had where technology played a big role in a hotel stay of yours?

If I’m traveling for leisure, I almost always research potential hotels via TripAdvisor or other online sites that provide ratings and reviews.

What’s some advice you would offer to hotels trying to figure out how to prioritize their cross-channel marketing efforts or where to focus in 2016?

I always start with what I call the PEG Framework, which identifies three core areas of focus that apply to almost every type of business or team. Generally speaking, focusing one-third of your time in each of these areas is a good rule of thumb, but how much you invest in each area will differ depending on the needs of the business, and in this case, the marketing department.

As you can see, there are lots of applications for this framework. How you prioritize each area should be driven by an analysis of potential marketing opportunities (enhancements and growth) and risks (preservation and maintenance).

MCD Partners is a digital customer experience agency that released results of a 1,000-consumer survey within three traveler segments—business, leisure, and family. The report indicated that, in return for improved mobile features and overall digital experience, the hospitality industry might gain increased customer loyalty.

To continue our 2016 Look Ahead interview series, John Caruso, creative director, and founding partner at MCD Partners, shared his thoughts on these findings and the overall state of the evolving digital guest experience.

Your company recently released a white paper on “the explosion of digital on-demand services.” How do you think that translates in the hospitality industry and how can hoteliers take advantage of this trend?

We focused on the rise of digital on-demand services, defined as service requests made online (computer, tablet, mobile) that can be immediately fulfilled. With the rise of on-demand digital services that focus primarily on customer experience – i.e. Uber and Airbnb – the hospitality and travel industries are experiencing significant disruption. So they’ve started to offer digitally connected on-demand services to attract and retain customers at a time when the digital experience is an essential differentiator.

Hoteliers should use insights gathered through qualitative research (like our report) and quantitative customer data to adapt useful, intuitive technology that will enhance:

Communication: These features make communications as efficient and effortless as possible with instant messaging, a virtual concierge, in-app requests, etc. They also work to eliminate questions before they’re asked via proactive communications – like the ability to set room preferences and make personalized requests online before arrival. And many hotels are experimenting with key sensors and location services, so they can provide messaging that’s relevant to the traveler’s location.

Convenience: These are services that make the traveler’s entire journey simpler, smoother, better – eliminating wait time between request and completion (i.e. automated check-in to bypass the front desk, late check-out request, scheduling a car, ordering room service/amenities)– all without having to pick up a phone.

Connectivity: These offerings ensure a seamless experience, from check-in to check-out – and everything in-between. Many hotels have created proprietary apps or connected app ecosystems, so that the visitor’s smartphone can order the car to the hotel, check-in, open the room door, order room service, stream content to the television, request an extra toothbrush, find nearby activities, request a late check-out, and order a car back to the airport. That increasing connectedness – one device, doing it all – is the new customer expectation.

Your company released a report, “Seeing Returns,” that explored how receptive modern travelers are to connectivity and technology. Were you surprised by the results? What did you learn from the survey?

We found that 70% of travelers were influenced to book a stay based on a hotel’s website and app; travelers often feel that a hotel’s digital offerings will reflect the quality of the hotel. Business travelers were most influenced by customer experience; they were also most likely to rebook at the same hotel based upon positive previous experiences, as opposed to pricing or rewards points. This also makes them more receptive to add-ons during their stay.

Family travelers were most attracted to hotels that help them efficiently manage their trip; any assistance in coordinating activities and eliminating stress was highly appreciated.

Leisure travelers largely wanted to disconnect, unplug, unwind – but they were eager to seek out new experiences. Hotels can engage with these travelers via digital tools that help them discover new activities and places in their destination, should they opt-in.

And efficiency was a primary factor across all types of travelers. 74% of total travelers wanted hotels to proactively enhance their visit, and 80% wanted the opportunity to set personalized preferences online. Other areas of high interest included easily accessible information like amenities and hours (80%), engagement with maps of the areas they visit (78%), automated check-in (73%) and late check-out requests (73%).

In your opinion, which traveler segment, business, leisure or family, benefits most from the innovation explored in that report?

We found that business travelers were most receptive to all digital offerings, ranging from informative to transactional – using a mobile device to access information, as a mobile key, schedule transportation, make requests, and pay the hotel bill. Since experience is largely the primary differentiator for this segment, digital offerings seem to be the most effective in terms of increasing loyalty and digital investment returns.

 

Consumers want access to information that is fast, simple and streamlined.

That said, leisure and family travelers showed high interest in – and can benefit the most from – digital tools that help them know what’s available nearby, and to help them make plans and stay organized. While device connectivity might be less of a priority, even the smallest shortcuts and easily accessible information would go a long way in terms of appreciation – and advocacy.

Which technologies do you enjoy or benefit from using most during your own travel?

While I find many of the new travel technologies exciting, I often benefit most from access to basic travel needs. For family trips especially, I seek out easy ways to catalog or access all of the information we’ll need—locations, hours, contact information, tips—so that we can spend more time doing and less time planning. Anyone with young kids knows this is a huge win.

In fact, this idea—finding better ways to serve the most basic needs—was one of the biggest standouts in our hospitality research. Consumers love new and exciting, but above all else, they want access to information. And they want it to be faster, simpler, and more streamlined than ever before.

What would you say is the biggest impact technology has had on the hospitality and travel industries within the past 5 years?

One word: Airbnb. The mobile app has significantly affected the hospitality industry by connecting hosts with travelers, fostering communications and relationships between the two, enabling community sharing, and providing seamless online discovery and booking.

But this is not necessarily an end-all threat to hotels; instead, it’s a constructive challenge to traditional institutions to incorporate the appealing aspects of Airbnb. That means more in-app communications; personalized ‘matchmaking’ to different hotel offerings; and a curated end-to-end experience, with more local expertise. A large part of Airbnb’s appeal is its immersion within local communities; hotels can often feel isolated, a sanitized version of the surrounding culture. While this might appeal to some, the option should exist for travelers (especially those in the leisure segment) who want to discover, explore, and share experiences, aided by the hotel itself (and, of course, easily accessible via digital platforms). This particular trend, the desire to immerse oneself in the neighborhood, will only continue to grow in 2016.

How greatly do you think the impact of technology on the travel journey differs depending on age?

We’ve found that in general, most digital on-demand services are decreasingly popular as participant age increases. This could potentially be due to comfort in existing patterns, and unfamiliarity with newer technologies.

However, that finding doesn’t necessarily apply across all travel segments. Age doesn’t seem to be a factor with business travelers seeking efficient trips; according to US Travel Association, the average business traveler is 45.9 years old; 53% of all business travelers are age 45 and older.

 

The desire for authentic experiences within a local community while traveling will continue to grow in 2016.

The average leisure traveler is 47.5 years old; 55% of all leisure travelers are 45 and older. If a digital offering is intuitive and easy to navigate, it should be appealing to all ages – for adult leisure travelers, who want to unplug and unwind but also want nonintrusive assistance in discovering new excursions, and for parents traveling with families, as an organizational, time-saving aid.

What are your predictions for trends or changes that will improve or impact customer experience in 2016 (with a particular focus on hospitality or what these will mean for hotels)?

As we move into 2016, we’ll see more hotels launching customer experience-focused technologies, and we’ll see this merge with the payments space. That’s the next big frontier for hotels to tackle—better integration of mobile payment options—and the technology is there.

I also think we’ll see Instagram advertising becoming more ubiquitous and more relevant. That’s not always something you get to say about advertising. But Instagram seems to be getting it right, and empowering customers to influence the ads they see only makes it stronger.

Then, the natural evolution of this is that we’ll see more experimentation with brand messaging within platforms like Snapchat—content like branded keyboards, brand chats, campaigns, and even customer service—especially targeted towards millennial travelers.

To kick off our 2016 Look Ahead interview series, we spoke with Norm Rose, an analyst and consultant focused on emerging technologies and how they impact business practices in the travel industry.

Norm leads Travel Tech Consulting, Inc., a firm that partners with Phocuswright to provide technology consulting to travel companies. He’s also been an analyst with Phocuswright since 1999 and is the author of numerous publications and articles including Phocuswright’s Mobile: The Next Platform for Travel. From 1982-1988, he held sales and marketing management positions at United Airlines and, from 1989 to 1995, was a corporate travel manager for Sun Microsystems.

Here’s the second part of Norm’s interview discussing the impact of self-service and mobile technologies on the hospitality and travel industries.

What advice would you give to hotels that are looking to start embracing mobility or self-service technology?

I think the important thing to keep in mind is that whether you want to deny the change or resist the change, it’s happening all around you and you need to come to speed. You need to identify which points during your process have the most friction and look to see how mobility can help ease that friction.

Don’t necessarily do what every other hotel does because every hotel may not have the same guest profile you do. I am very much inclined not to say just go and do automated check-in, mobile key room entry, and room service.

The absolute wrong approach is going with a company that says, “Here’s our mobile app. Just add your logo.” As a consultant, my company says, “What’s the problem you’re trying to solve, and how can mobile help,” as opposed to focusing on features, saying mobile can do this or that. You have to ask which are relevant to your guest population. You have to step back and say, “What am I trying to fix?” Everyone is still in a competitive environment.

Speaking as someone who’s traveled a lot, a lot of hotel rooms are the same. What differentiates are the services connected with that. One of my pet peeves on the business traveler side is the whole thing with free Wi-Fi. The hell with free Wi-Fi, I want good Wi-Fi. And I’m willing to pay for really good Wi-Fi in the room and a good Internet connection. Understanding how important something like that is, it’s quite different from, “We have to give away free Wi-Fi because everyone else is doing it.”

Don’t necessarily do what every other hotel does because every hotel may not have the same guest profile you do.

That’s the mentality people have about mobile. “We have to do that because everyone else does.” But you have to ask yourself is that what your customers really want or do they want the ability to book at your spa before they arrive at the hotel because your spa books up? That’s more important than opening up a hotel door with my phone.

You can’t go into the mode that this is the thing to do, or this is what everyone wants. Have you done the research?

How close do you think we are to technology being able to deliver the “total travel experience” that connects the travel journey from end to end?

Everyone is driving toward it but few have succeeded yet.

There’s a lack of total journey integration due to technical barriers, but also because of the silo thinking that the different industries have, such as lack of cohesion between airlines and airports.

Travelers think of it as one experience, not that they’re in the airplane versus in the airport. They think of being at the destination, not just being in the hotel versus at the destination. It’s a function of sharing information and losing silo thinking. We’re a ways from it, unfortunately.

What are some predictions you have for where self-service technology will develop in 2016 or the near future?

I think we’re moving from an environment where the self-service is “I’m going to reach out and do something” or “I’m searching for something” to an environment where things are going to be delivered to you based on your personal preferences. Things will be brought to you rather than having to search for things. It’s a pretty significant shift in the way the environment has been for a few years since the introduction of search and mobile.

We’re moving into a hyper-local environment where information is targeted based on your micro-location, using Beacons and so forth. Millennials are willing to exchange personal information in order to receive personalized service.

We’re moving to an environment where things are going to be delivered to you based on your personal preferences.

Not everything needs to be self-service. I’m referring to the automation of the concierge function and the services outside the hotel property. It’s not where you stay necessarily or how you get there; it’s also about what you do in the destination. Being able to deliver on that with a combination of high tech and high touch is the challenge because there are a lot of different applications that offer discounts. But really what consumers want is a certain degree of expertise and being able to curate the content to a level that meets their needs. That’s what you expect from the concierge. The reality is there needs some curation, which could be electronic if you understand the preferences of the individuals, but could involve some electronic messaging or chat from a person who can deliver knowledge and provide curated suggestions.

I think that believing that you’re just going to outsource the concierge role entirely to self-service, I’m not sure that’s the whole story. Unless we get intelligence to receive relevant information, it doesn’t make sense. I think we need that high touch within self-service, particularly about what to do in the destination, and I haven’t seen anyone fully solve that.