Tag Archives: technology

Cutting-edge technology and innovation will be adopted as the theme for Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2019, to be held at Dubai World Trade Centre from April 28 to May 1, 2019. According to a latest research conducted by Colliers International, personalisation Artificial Intelligence (AI) could increase hotel revenues by over 10 per cent and reduce costs by more than 15 per cent – with hotel operators expecting technology such as voice and facial recognition, virtual reality and biometrics to be mainstream by 2025. The research also estimates that 73 per cent of manual activities in the hospitality industry have the technical potential for automation, with many global hotel operators including Marriott, Hilton, and Accor already investing in automating elements of their human resources. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said, “It is important to highlight that the GCC is one of the fastest-growing regional hospitality markets on a global scale and an innovative technology-reliant industry. Its impact on hotels and travel and tourism is multi-dimensional, ranging from voice and facial recognition, chatbots and beacon technology to virtual reality, blockchain and robot concierge. Throughout ATM 2019, the spotlight theme will be launched as a platform to create awareness and inspire the travel and hospitality industry about the next generation of technology, while bringing together senior travel executives to meet and conduct business with innovative tech providers. With technologies like AI and automation quickly maturing, the hospitality and travel and tourism industry must prepare for a wave of disruption in order to reap the overall benefits of these technologies.”

In leveraging the latest in digital technology to provide superior guest experiences, Emaar Hospitality Group marked its industry leadership with the addition of Apple Pay, a new way to pay. A transformational leader in mobile payments, Apple Pay is an easy, secure and private way to make transactions that are fast and convenient. The new service is available for guests across all three hotel brands of Emaar Hospitality Group, covering all 11 operational hotels and three serviced residences in Dubai. Security and privacy are at the core of Apple Pay. When guests use a credit or debit card with Apple Pay, the actual card numbers are not stored on the device or on Apple servers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is securely stored in the Secure Element on their device. Guests using Apple Pay at check-in can simply use an iPhone or Apple Watch to pay at the contactless reader at the front desk. There will be no additional need to provide a physical credit card upon check-in.