Experts estimate it might take more than a year for the hospitality industry to recover from the monstrous effects of COVID-19. Many hotel managers are utilising this downtime to deep clean the entire venue and revise projects that are otherwise impossible to do when hotels are full.

More than just offering a simple bed and breakfast, hotel rooms are evolving and being engineered, one amenity at a time, to meet changing traveller demands.

Contactless guest experience is the new reality of hospitality. In addition to changes in the front desk, elevators, and guest rooms, there are other areas where contactless technology has proved itself to be indispensable: temperature checks and ID verification. 

As a traveller, don't we all wish the hotel onboarding process, door unlocking, room services, and in-room amenities usage can be carried out digitally, seamlessly, without waiting in line or encountering awkward greetings?

The importance of revenue optimisation or revenue management in the hotel industry cannot be overstated due to its critical importance to the Hotel's bottom line. Revenue optimisation is being able to sell the right room to the right guest, at the right price and at the right time. It requires plenty of actionable information on time, which is so often unattainable. 

Healthcare is essential. Everyone gets sick and is entitled to adequate healthcare treatment when needed. Serving a wide range of patients of different age and conditions, it is understandable that the healthcare industry offers vast services, complies with complex statutory requirements, and handles stressful environments daily.

Wonder how Netflix is able to suggest TV series that match your interests, or how Amazon recommends personalised products, thus urging you to buy more? These are all made possible thanks to Artificial Intelligence and machine learning.

If you think employers that offer employees the ability to work from home any day of the week are progressive enough, think again. COVID-19 has accelerated an endless number of transformative initiatives that are otherwise put on hold indefinitely. Among these, work-from-home (WFH) was the one that witnessed the strongest growth due to increasing health concerns.

Read more: 5 questions for leaders to ensure business continuity post-COVID

Data is the lifeblood of every organisation, the valuable asset that each employee generates an endless amount of daily. Effectively collecting and analysing data can help you understand your customers better and make more informed decisions.

Countless businesses are impacted by COVID-19 around the world. If your business is in the hospitality industry, then chances are your damage is more severe than most. With the restrictions being slowly lifted, many hotel businesses still don’t find themselves fitting in with the “new normal.”

This begs the questions: what really is the new normal for the hotel industry? What are the challenges ahead? And which actions have leading hoteliers taken?