When the global pandemic hit in 2020, organisations across the world were impacted in unprecedented ways. Businesses across sectors had to rethink their strategies in order to cope with the changes and challenges. However, with global travel suspended and border lockdowns, one industry that took the most significant blow was hospitality. In fact, Aon’s recent COVID-19 Risk Management and Insurance Survey found that 53 percent of those hospitality businesses surveyed globally had seen their business severely impacted by the pandemic.
After two years of disruptions, the hospitality industry is bouncing back and is showing healthy signs of recovery.
For hotels and leisure resorts, business models are designed not only to offer guests a place to stay but to provide them with an experience. That’s why digital transformation has long been a key priority for those in the hotel business.
As borders reopen and the demand for travel returns, hospitality industry players understand that they need to step up their offerings in order to address changing customer demands.
From automating check-in and check-out processes to customising room services such as air conditioning temperature, lighting level, preferred TV channels, parking, room access and booking services via mobile applications, technology plays a critical role by incorporating new solutions that will give organisations in the hospitality industry an edge. At the backbone of these innovations is reliable and high quality connectivity.
Hotel and resort operators’ network requirements have evolved drastically. In the past, a somewhat reliable Wi-Fi, often merely consumer-grade, was deemed sufficient to meet customer and on-site needs. When we speak of connectivity now, any disruption or congestion can mean a significant loss of revenue and damage to the customer relationship. This has given rise to the need for a robust network infrastructure that could support multifaceted and arduous connectivity needs.
A new breed of customers
Driven by the pandemic, customers’ requirements have transformed to be centred on health and safety. With remote and hybrid working models becoming the norm, many digitally savvy consumers are increasingly expecting tech-driven and personalised experiences.
More and more customers today are seeking experiences that will enable them to achieve a better work-life balance. This has sparked a surge in a class of travellers or guests known as ‘bleisurers’.
As the name implies, ‘bleisurers’ are customers that often blend business and leisure travel. While the term was first coined in 2009, this type of traveller is skyrocketing in popularity. A report by Future Market Insights revealed that the global bleisure tourism market is estimated to reach nearly $497.5 billion in 2022.
For hotel operators that want to capitalise on the demand for bleisure travel, they need to invest in the right network infrastructure that will allow guests access to strong and reliable internet connectivity.
To do this, optical fibre is the technology that best suits this need.
Finding a robust connectivity solution
Optical fibre brings advantages such as lower electricity consumption, high bandwidth for current and future applications, reduced need for space for its installation and optimisation of operation among others.
Innovations such as the Furukawa Laserway solution can also reach up to 20km distance without any equipment in between, meaning the quantity of active equipment and the technical room will be reduced in comparison with a conventional solution. Furthermore, the life cycle of this kind of optical fibre infrastructure solution is at least five times longer than the conventional solution, providing the lowest TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) for hotel operators.
Attesting to the benefits and capabilities of optical fibre technology, particularly Furukawa’s Laserway solution, is Fun Island Resort & Spa – a part of the Villa Hotels Group in the Maldives.
The implementation of the Furukawa Laserway optical technology enabled the company to provide enhanced customer experiences and achieve cost reduction. The technology allowed Villa Hotels customers to have seamless access to the triple-play service – which guarantees phone, data, and multimedia in a single connectivity channel. In addition to these benefits, the property also benefitted from the premium support from Furukawa, which is vital given the resort’s location. The customer noted they chose the solution not only because of its immediate benefits but also for its scalability and future readiness.
As the lines between work and life blur, organisations in the hospitality sector can no longer afford not to evolve their strategies. In order to properly cater to the habits of today’s customers, they must recognise that personalised and engaging guest experiences begin with a rock-solid network infrastructure.
