Hotel Technology is Dependent on Your Wi-Fi Infrastructure
Travelers are planning to book more hotel stays in 2023 than they did in 2022, according to the National Booking Index survey research commissioned by the AHLA. The survey found that 60% of adults are likely to take more leisure trips in 2023 than they did in the prior year and 45% of business travelers are likely to take more business-related trips in 2023.
With the expected increase in hotel stays, also comes the increased demand for mobile technology, a study conducted by Oracle Hospitality and Skift found that mobile technology is in high demand by travelers. 73% of those surveyed wanted to use their mobile devices to manage their hotel experience. 73% of travelers were also more likely to stay at hotels that offered self-service technology and 77% were interested in using automated messaging or chatbots. Reliable Wi-Fi makes hotel technology possible, and hotels need to ensure that the Wi-Fi infrastructure is in place to provide guests with a powerful high-speed network that supports all their technological needs.
More Hotels are Investing in Mobile and Self-Service Technology
Travelers want more mobile and self-service technology, and more hotels are making the investment. The 2023 Lodging Technology Study surveyed 18,000 properties worldwide and discovered that hoteliers are embracing mobile and self-service technology. The study found that hoteliers currently offer or plan to offer the following hotel technology in 2023:
Mobile reservations -100%
Mobile Check-in – 100%
Mobile Key – 100%
Guest Messaging – 95%
Smart TV/ Content Streaming – 94%
Contactless Payments – 88%
Digital Signage – 76%
Voice Controlled Devices – 54%
According to the study, hoteliers reported that the following hotel technology had the most potential:
Contactless Payments – 90%
5G – 85%
Contactless Tipping – 66%
Biometrics -63%
Reliable Wi-Fi Makes Hotel Technology Possible
Mobile technology is still in high demand for guests in 2023 and beyond and more hoteliers have plans to invest in mobile technology. Mobile technology is highly popular with hotel guests, guests want the option to check-in/check-out, access guest rooms, stream content and place food orders using their mobile devices. Investment in hotel technology is dependent on a strong Wi-Fi network and hotels must ensure that the Wi-Fi infrastructure is in place to support this.
94% of hoteliers currently offer or plan to offer content streaming from popular streaming providers and hotels will need to be able to provide this service without any interruptions. Reliable Wi-Fi makes hotel technology possible, and hotels need to ensure that the Wi-Fi infrastructure is in place to adequately meet the increased demand for bandwidth, instant connectivity, and reliability. Reliable Wi-Fi is a necessity if hotels want to offer guests the mobile and self-service technology that they want.
100% of hoteliers currently offer or plan to offer mobile check-in and mobile key in 2023, unreliable internet will affect mobile technology and will cause delays and slow responses that can have an impact on the guest experience. Offering guests, the mobile technology experience that meets their expectations will ensure that guests keep coming back. Hotels should work with an experienced provider to ensure that the hotel’s network can accommodate increasing bandwidth demands and ensure reliable service without interruption.
What Should Hoteliers Look for in a Wi-Fi Provider?
Hotel Wi-Fi service is only as good as the hotel internet service provider that supports it. An experienced provider will ensure that your hotel has sufficient bandwidth, is scalable, reliable, secure and can keep up with the advances in hotel technology.
Sufficient Bandwidth
73% of guests want to use their mobile devices to manage their hotel experience. Having sufficient bandwidth is essential for hotels, as guests have an expectation of a contactless experience from the moment they check-in. Guests want to connect to a Wi-Fi network that allows them to connect to the device of their choice without delays. The right Wi-Fi service provider will ensure that hotels have sufficient bandwidth to offer guests a powerful high-speed network that supports all their technological needs.
Network Security
Guests want to connect to a network with the confidence that their information is secure. To ensure security, cybersecurity experts recommend that hotels have two separate networks, one for guests to connect to and one for staff to perform critical business functions. A knowledgeable provider will also ensure that hotels are in compliance with required standards that protect their data and that the appropriate security controls are in place to authenticate users and monitor the hotel’s network for potential threats.
Reliability
45% of business travelers are likely to take more business-related trips in 2023 and these travelers are dependent on a Wi-Fi network that is reliable. Reliable hotel Wi-Fi is an essential part of the hotel experience and guests have the expectation of a Wi-Fi network without outages. The right Wi-Fi provider will ensure that service is not disrupted even during an outage or a disaster.
Scalability
Hoteliers are offering or plan to offer, contactless payments, guests messaging and content streaming to guests. As the needs of guests change and there are new advances in technology, internet service providers should be able to adapt to those changes. An experienced Wi-Fi provider will be able to accommodate changes, such as increasing Wi-Fi speeds, and the new addition of hotel technology. Providers must also be able to evaluate the network to ensure that it is operating properly and can make improvements.
Support and Maintenance
Internet service providers should offer 24/7 technical support for both employees and guests and should be available to resolve guests’ connectivity complaints. The right provider should offer 24/7 technical support for both hotel employees and guests. Regular maintenance is also essential in ensuring that the hotel’s network is performing at optimal levels.