Hotels not offering the latest technology FREE will lose out

Hotels that make additional charges for guests to access the Internet or fail to provide easy audio and TV access for portable devices such as iPods and MP3 players could lose out, said Guy Roukaerts, moderator of The Hotel Show Seven Star conference that concluded yesterday at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre.

Visualising the future and preparing now for the needs of today's more technology-demanding guests came under the spotlight at the conference which forms part of the premier supplies show for the Middle East hospitality sector.

"One of the greatest challenges facing the hotel industry in 2008 is to ensure that guests enjoy a guestroom experience which they have in their living room at home," said Ted Horner, one of Australia's leading hospitality technology consultants who is advising a new hotel chain in the United Arab Emirates.

"Now we are seeing the arrival of 'guest connectivity panels' where guests who bring their own personalised music or video content can easily connect to the new LCD TVs or surround sound systems in their rooms," he added.

"With the increasing number of devices that guests travel with - namely iPods or MP3 players, digital cameras, camcorders, cellphones, laptops, games consoles etc., these panels allow guests to access their own content quickly and easily."

Conference moderator Roukaerts, added: "I may be 64 years old but I carry a laptop and an iPod. Why should the hotel charge me over and above my room charge to access the Internet with my laptop and why can't I plug my iPod into a sound or TV system?

"Convergence and the need for hotels to 'wire up' to meet the technology of their guests was a theme of several presentations. Until now, hotel owners have been reluctant to invest in upgrading to a level comparable to that of a guest's own home but that has to change. Indeed, hotel owners and operators who adopt these technologies will have a competitive advantage."

The Hotel Show showcases the latest products, services and technologies for the hospitality industry. Organised by dmg world media Dubai, The Hotel Show is one of the most important dates in the international industry calendar and visitors include regional owner-operators, decision makers from international hotel chains, architects and interior designers.