An Environmental Assessment of How Technology is Reshaping the Hospitality Industry

Abstract

Leading strategists suggest that the key to winning the future is to develop industry foresight and to stake one's territorial claim before anyone else. Following this advice, however, is not as easy as it may sound, especially when one takes into account how quickly things change in the era of high-tech. Each day, the seeds of change are sown. By using disciplined approaches, these seeds can be spotted early on as they germinate, sprout and grow into something big. To help the hospitality industry develop foresight in a disciplined manner, identify the antecedents of change and prepare for the future, the International Hotel and Restaurant Association (IH&RA) called together over 160 people worldwide from various organisations, industries and geographic regions to participate in a series of Visioning Workshops and Technology Think-Tank sessions. Collectively, these sessions define the forces shaping change and identify what is in store for the industry as the future draws near. The findings to date suggest that information technology is the single greatest force affecting change in the hospitality industry. Everywhere one looks, one can find evidence of how technology is reshaping the industry and changing the very dynamics of competition and customer/employee interaction. Going forward, technology will be the most important competitive weapon for any hospitality company. If hospitality organisations want to compete successfully, they must do so by using technology to drive value to both the customer and the firm. What follows is a detailed summary of the proceedings from three Technology Think-Tank workshops held in Singapore; Nice, France; and Vienna, Austria from 1997 to 1999.