Visualization in tourism: intelligent travel applications, technology and service automation, digital hotels 3
Visualization in tourism: intelligent travel applications, technology and service automation, digital hotels 3
The Future of hospitality: Blockchain, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things
Today, the rapid development of technology in the hotel business contributes to the introduction of various innovations to improve the quality of customer service and increase operational efficiency. In this context, technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) play a crucial role in the transformation of the hotel industry. These technologies have the potential to revolutionize many areas, from security to customer service.
Blockchain technology has taken an important place in the hotel industry due to its decentralized and transparent structure. A blockchain can be defined as a database that stores records of all transactions in a secure and unchangeable form. This technology reduces costs and speeds up transactions, eliminating the need for intermediaries in processes such as booking and paying for hotel services (Tapscott & Tapscott, 2016). For example, blockchain-based booking systems allow customers to make transactions directly with hotels, which reduces the risk of fraud and increases customer confidence. In addition, loyalty programs can be managed using blockchain, allowing customers to use earned points in various hotel chains (Kouhizadeh and Sarkis, 2018). Blockchain technology also provides a great advantage in protecting customer identification information. If the risk of data leakage and identity theft is higher in traditional systems, then thanks to encryption and the distributed structure of the blockchain, such risks are minimized. This creates a safe environment for both customers and hotels.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is making significant changes in both customer service and operational processes in the hotel business. Chatbots based on artificial intelligence provide round-the-clock customer service, answering their questions and helping them with the booking process. This increases customer satisfaction and reduces staff workload (Ivanov and Webster, 2019). AI also allows you to provide personalized services by analyzing customer preferences using analytical data. For example, AI can make recommendations based on the history of previous customer stays and select hotel rooms according to their preferences (Tussyadiah, 2020). AI technologies are also being used to improve the operational efficiency of hotels. For example, AI-based systems can be used to optimize the tasks of hotel staff so that cleaning and maintenance are performed more efficiently. In addition, AI-based forecasting models help hotel management predict demand and plan their resources accordingly. This saves costs and increases customer satisfaction (Buhalis and Leung, 2018).
The Internet of Things (IoT) is another important technology used in the hospitality industry to increase operational efficiency and improve the quality of guest service. IoT devices can be equipped with features such as intelligent lighting and climate control systems in hotel rooms, which saves energy and increases the comfort of guests. For example, guests can control room temperature, lighting, and other devices using their smartphones (Buhalis and Leung, 2018). In addition, IoT devices help hotel staff plan tasks such as maintenance and cleaning more efficiently, which increases work efficiency and reduces costs (Gretzel, Sigala, Xiang, & Koo, 2015). IoT technology also optimizes security and maintenance processes. Smart sensors and cameras are used to enhance the security of the hotel, as well as to detect areas requiring maintenance and ensure that preventive measures are taken. This allows you to reduce costs and ensure the smooth operation of the hotel.
Thus, technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things can seriously change the hospitality industry. These technologies both improve the quality of customer service and increase operational efficiency. In the future, as these technologies continue to develop, more innovative and effective solutions will appear in the hospitality industry. These transformations promise to make the hotel business safer, more efficient and more enjoyable for operators and customers.
The benefits of digital transformation in the tourism ecosystem
The benefits of digital transformation in the tourism ecosystem are a process that affects and changes every aspect of the industry. This transformation is changing the way travel companies compete in global markets, but at the same time enriches the travel experience of tourists.
Digitalization is changing the way people live, work and travel, opening up new opportunities for travel companies to compete in global markets. Digitalization has a serious impact on tourism, especially on small and medium-sized enterprises. Governments have an important role to play in creating the necessary framework conditions for the digital transformation of tourism business models and the entire tourism ecosystem. Digitalization promotes innovation
in tourism. For example, productivity-enhancing technologies such as cloud computing, data analytics, and revenue management software are often underutilized in tourism, while innovative technologies such as augmented reality and geotagging allow visitors to create, customize, and provide products, services, and experiences in more innovative ways. Digitalization can also offer tourists a personalized experience. These impressions can be obtained before, during and after the visit. Moreover, by using digital tools correctly and purposefully, travel companies can gain significant advantages. Digital transformation is moving in tourism in new and often unpredictable directions. Digital technologies have important implications for all aspects of the tourism business, the structure and functioning of value chains in tourism and the industry as a whole. As a result, digital transformation in tourism is a process that affects and rebuilds every aspect of the sector. This transformation is changing the way travel companies compete in global markets, but at the same time enriches the travel experience of tourists. Therefore, the promotion and stimulation of digitalization in tourism is an important political task ( RIIFORUM, 2022).,
LITERATURE REVIEW
Activities carried out within the framework of the direction "Automation of technologies and services
"Trends in digital Transformation in the service sector" by Hisu Chin, Durga Prasad Marasini, Donghee Lee (2022) examines the evolution of digital transformation (CT) in the service sector using real-world application examples and articles published in journals dedicated to CT. This study contains 2,897,024 articles published in Scopus journals from 1991 to March 4, 2022. Among these articles, 2,683 were reclassified, and as a result, 1,831 articles were selected for analysis. Among these articles, 437 DT-related and service-related articles were analyzed using keyword cloud analysis. This study revealed the evolutionary processes of DT in the service sector by analyzing and comparing common features and differences between practice (real cases) and research (published journal articles) of DT. In addition, the study examines the main factors contributing to the development of DT at three stages of the evolution of DT in the service sector. The results of the study contain theoretical and practical conclusions that offer strategic ideas for the planning and implementation of CT in the service sector. In particular, it is noted that the digitalization of services has a positive impact on customer satisfaction through the use of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), cloud computing and big data analytics. For example, service providers have managed not only to increase customer satisfaction through the use of IoT and blockchain technology, but also to make their business processes very transparent. DT has not only changed the service industry, but also expanded consumer opportunities. Today, customers can effectively search for information using digital devices, which provides many advantages such as convenience, variety of options and efficiency. Given these advantages, service providers offer a variety of digital services that enable value creation with customers. Digital technologies have allowed service companies to create new business models, which, in turn, have changed the processes of the value chain. The current COVID-19 pandemic has significantly accelerated the pace of development of CT in the service sector.
The article by Mengxi Chen, Xiaoyu Wang, Rob Law, Mu Zhang (2023) examines 284 studies on service robots in the tourism and hospitality industry. These studies were collected from the Web of Science database. The study says that research in this area started late and that the COVID-19 pandemic has stimulated a rapid increase in the number of scientific articles.
The article says that the International Journal of Modern Hospitality Management has published the largest number of articles to date. It is indicated that many scientists from many universities in different parts of the world have made significant contributions to the research of service robots. Despite the fact that academic collaboration is relatively common, the number of highly productive authors is very small. Empirical research, online surveys and experimental methods are often used, which are widely preferred by researchers. It is emphasized that the relevant articles also cite interdisciplinary theories, especially the application of psychological theories. The research fronts cover four areas dedicated to service robots, consumers, employees, and the service environment, and the contents of these four sections overlap in many ways. Finally, the article discusses the prospects for a future research program for service robots in the tourism and hospitality industry. This study is a comprehensive and systematic review of the literature on service robots in the tourism and hospitality industry. The review provides a comprehensive assessment of existing research in the field of service robots and suggests ideas for future research.
Events held within the framework of the Smart Tourism Applications program
In a study by Celik and Topsakal (2017), the concept of smart tourism is associated with elements such as big data, cloud computing, mobile applications, geotagging, location-based services, virtual reality and smart technologies.
Another study conducted by Yalcinkaya, Atay and Karakash (Yalçınkaya, Atay, Karakaş, 2018) says that technologies used in smart tourism applications, mobile communications, Internet of things, cloud computing, social media, artificial intelligence and the use of digital applications through smartphones were considered.
A study of general tourism conducted by Topsakal (2018) shows that the Internet of things, augmented reality applications and near-field communication are evaluated within the framework of smart tourism.
A study conducted by Yavuz (2019) says that the concepts of virtual reality and augmented reality, which are among the technologies used in the framework of smart tourism, were considered. A study conducted by Cabi and Erbaşı (2019) states that they evaluated the concept of a smart hotel in the hotel business, the use of infrastructure with the development of information and communication technologies, as well as applications to improve business processes and business performance.
A study conducted by Yazıcı Ayyıldız and Ayyıldız (2020) examined how business models of smart travel applications integrate with information and communication technologies. This study identifies how technologies such as the Internet of Things, big data, and cloud computing are powered by tools such as tablets, smartphones, computers, sensors, and microphones. A study conducted by Korkmaz (2021) says that the concept of smart tourism focuses on the concept of the Internet of Things to evaluate destinations. A study conducted by Aikin (2021) says that the concept of smart tourism is evaluated using the latest advances in information and communication technologies.
Research conducted within the framework of the Digital Hotels project
When considering the report by E.V. Shumakova (2021) at the conference "The impact of digitalization on the development of the hotel industry", we are talking about the impact of digitalization on the development of the hotel industry. The main focus is on the factors and prospects for the development of the digital economy, as well as the fact that the hotel industry is one of the leaders in terms of digital innovation, integration and use of technology. The authors analyze international experience and practice in order to identify trends in the introduction of digital technologies in the hotel business and changes in the perceptions of hoteliers about the lack of opportunities for their use. The authors describe in detail the prospects and functional features of breakthrough innovations that hotels can use to improve business efficiency. The article analyzes the impact of digitalization on the development of the hotel industry using the example of mobile, cloud and virtual data protection technologies. In addition, the authors note that the growing demands of customers are forcing hotels to experiment and use completely new technologies in their daily activities. The authors present a list of the most promising and relevant digital innovations and point out the horizons that these innovations open up. The results obtained allowed the authors to conclude that digital technologies give hotels the opportunity to increase customer loyalty, reduce costs, especially for premises and electricity, improve business processes, increase operational efficiency, improve management and protect the security of businesses and customers in cyberspace.
The report "Research on the impact of digital marketing on modern hotels and countermeasures", prepared by Lei Meng (2021), analyzes the impact of digital marketing on modern hotels and suggests countermeasures to improve the efficiency of hotels. The authors analyze the impact of digital marketing strategies on hotel operations, customer service, and overall business performance. They argue that digital marketing has a significant impact on the hotel industry's ability to expand its customer base, increase brand awareness and develop customer loyalty. They also emphasize that digital marketing tools and methods allow the hotel business to reach its target audience more efficiently and economically. The authors explain in detail how digital marketing transforms the marketing strategies of hotel companies and how this transformation helps hotel companies gain competitive advantages. They also look at how digital marketing improves the customer experience of hotel businesses and how this improvement increases customer satisfaction and loyalty.
In conclusion, the authors argue that the impact of digital marketing on modern hotels is generally positive and that the adoption and implementation of digital marketing strategies by hotel enterprises can increase business efficiency and customer satisfaction. However, they emphasize that in order to effectively implement digital marketing, hotel companies must have sufficient knowledge and skills in the field of digital marketing tools and methods
Yavuz (2020) assessed the process of digital transformation in the hotel business within the framework of big data, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and the Internet of things.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
In the 21st century, the rapid development of technology has led to significant changes in the tourism sector. These changes have significantly changed people's perception of tourism activities, their participation patterns, and their expectations of these activities. The emergence of concepts such as digitalization and smart tourism, as well as the diversification of tourism opportunities, played a major role in these changes. Digitalization has made it possible to restructure tourism activities from traditional methods to more efficient and effective ones using the opportunities provided by technology. This transformation has led to the diversification of technologies used in tourism and the enrichment of the tourist experience. In particular, the fact that intelligent applications, which are constantly evolving along with technology, have begun to find a place in the tourism sector, has shown that tourism processes are carried out in a shorter time compared to the past, and resources are used more efficiently. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the relevant literature by examining issues related to the reflection of technological development on the tourism sector. In connection with the digitalization of tourism, the following recommendations can be offered to business leaders, destination managers and researchers: Tourism enterprises can make the most effective use of their available resources by using the opportunities provided by intelligent tourism applications. Technological systems such as sensors and solar cells can be installed at facilities to save resources such as electricity and water. Travel companies can gain a competitive advantage over their competitors by applying intelligent travel applications. After all, the opportunity to save time and the feeling of using technology that smart travel apps provide can satisfy customers and create a sense of difference in relation to the products they experience. Tourism enterprises should not forget about the importance of the human factor in tourism, being carried away by the opportunities offered by the digitalization of tourism. Therefore, when digitalizing tourism, facilities should not be completely mechanized. Destination managers can increase the tourist attractiveness of destinations by using technological opportunities provided by the digitalization of tourism, such as virtual reality and the creation of gaming software, to promote destinations. To do this, they need to use the intellectual capital of experts in their field. A review of the literature revealed a limited number of studies on digitalization in tourism. Therefore, in order to diversify the literature on this topic, researchers can be recommended to conduct new research on digitalization in tourism from different points of view. In future research, in addition to the new applications that are expected to emerge due to digitalization in tourism, it is also possible to study the trends of investors and customers regarding innovation.