Hotels: the new lights of the city
Hotel technology is not just about electronic check-in. It is transforming the very interior of hotels. Inaugurated in Madrid, the NH Collection Eurobuilding provides masterly proof of this right from its lobby, with a digital dome - the largest LED screen in Europe - but also through its Living Lab initiative, with the hotel serving as a test bed for the latest high-tech innovations.
Chambers cross the dematerialisation line
The time is not far off when travellers will be able to use their mobile phone to open their room. This long-awaited technological development has seen a marked acceleration in the last two months, with Starwood and Hilton announcing large-scale deployments of the virtual key. In the battle between hoteliers and online sales giants, technology is of strategic importance. While Booking, Expedia and others are accompanying travellers right up to the hotel counter, the leaders in the hotel industry are counting on applications enriched with services to keep customers loyal to their in-house tools. And, as a result, they will no longer see their customers wandering here and there gathering information about their preferences. Nothing could be more useful in this age of Big Data.
Launch
The American hotels Hilton, Conrad, Waldorf Astoria and Canopy will be offering virtual keys from 2015. Hitlon Worldwide plans to roll out the technology worldwide in 2016.
Virtual key
Members of the Starwood Preferred Guest programme can now use their smartphone as a key. At least in the first ten hotels to offer the SPG Keyless system. Located in major business centres such as New York, Beijing and Hong Kong, these pioneers will soon be joined by others. In fact, 150 hotels should be converted to the digital key by early 2015.
Sésame high tech: priority to loyalty
How does the virtual key work? The principle is simple: you need to be a member of the hotel group's loyalty programme, download the dedicated application, check in 24 hours before arrival and then let yourself be guided to collect the virtual key.
Accor unveils its digital ambitions
"Digital is here to stay", says Vivek Badrinath, Accor's 'digital man'. So, rather than submit to inexorable technological change, the group is taking action by devoting €225 million over five years to this strategic issue. Some of the initiatives concern the group's employees, to simplify customer reception through the use of tablets and smartphones. But above all, the plan is designed to enhance the customer experience before, during and after their stay, through a single application, the dematerialisation of the loyalty card, and better use of data for personalised offers. A digital solution for booking meetings is also expected.
All services, one application
"Our application allows you to book a room in just two clicks. But above all, it gives you access to all the hotel's services. You can book a table in any of our restaurants or order room service. New services will be added regularly. For example, as the application is linked to our loyalty programme, guests will be able to pay at the bar using their points.
Romain RoulleauSenior Vice President E-Commerce at Accor
Air: the daily press takes off. At least on planes...
The end of the printed press? Some predict it will happen soon - 2017 in the United States, 2029 in France, according to the website Future Exploration. Several airlines are supporting this trend by offering their customers the option of downloading their favourite newspapers and magazines so that they can read them before, during and even after their journey. They can also be sure of receiving the latest editions, which was not always the case on long-haul flights. Airberlin and Virgin Australia began offering this service to their loyal travellers in 2012. Air France then extended the principle to all travellers in 2013 with the AF Press application. Hop!, its regional subsidiary, distributes 60 regional dailies free of charge to Maxi Flex passengers, and against payment for lower fares. However, the latest trend is to reserve these solutions for lounge regulars. Cathay Pacific has recently started offering more than 2,000 titles for download in its Hong Kong lounges, and will probably soon be offering them in other lounges around the world.
London City, at the cutting edge of news
Business travellers passing through London City airport are in no danger of being left behind, at least when it comes to news. As soon as they arrive, they are plunged into the world of Bloomberg, with a Times Square-style screen broadcasting the latest general and financial news. The Bloomberg Hub concept is complemented by a gigantic media wall with 12 screens, a host of computers and, of course, free WiFi.
Brussels Airlines: a brand new lounge full of tablets
In its new The Loft lounge in Brussels, Brussels Airlines passengers can use Microsoft Surface Pro 3 tablets. They can be used to reserve lounge services - a bed to rest on, the bathroom, the meeting room - provide information on flight status and give access to Yelo, Telenet's VOD service.
A Beacon library in Istanbul
Turkish Airlines recently revamped its Sky Library solution, available in its Istanbul lounge. This virtual library uses the very latest technology. Its shelves appear as if by magic when travellers pass by a kiosk equipped with Beacon technology. The selection of books targets business travellers, with international press of course, but also books on management and marketing.
Seat service in the boarding lounge
United Airlines and catering company OTG are working together to transform the passenger experience at Newark Liberty International Airport. As part of the refurbishment of Terminal C, due for completion at the end of 2015, travellers will have access to almost 10,000 power sockets and USB interfaces for recharging their mobile devices. Above all, 6,000 iPads will be located throughout the terminal. By tapping away on these tablets while waiting for their flight, passengers will be able to do their duty free shopping from their seat, or order a menu from one of the 55 catering options, including the Saison dishes by Alain Ducasse. Meals and purchases will be delivered directly to their seats.
Trains
(Good) Railway Station Novels
From this autumn, regular customers on the TER Metrolor train in Lorraine will be able to add a little reading to their journeys. The SNCF is offering a whole digital library on this line, which can be downloaded free of charge for the great classics, or from €0.99 for more recent works. Read or reread La Bête humaine or Le Crime de l'Orient-Express, almost in real life.
Thalys: high-speed comics
After a test phase at the beginning of the year, Thalys is making its "e-Press&More" application permanent. Gold, Platinium and Platinium+ customers have access to more than 75 international titles to download free of charge. But the application also plays on its "&More" side by offering videos and, as Belgium is obliged to do, a multitude of comic books, complete series such as Blake and Mortimer, Largo Winch, Alter Ego or All Watcher, to be read up to 30 days after the journey.
What's on offer for cinema-goers
While the virtual press has become a reality, other players are focusing on providing entertainment both during and before the journey. At the end of August, the major French stations - Paris Gare de Lyon and Montparnasse, Lyon Part Dieu, Marseille Saint Charles and Lille Europe - saw the appearance of golden kiosks bearing the CinéGV logo. For travellers looking to relax, these kiosks offer a whole catalogue of hit movies, most of them French, and recent series, such as the latest season of Walking Dead. To enjoy them, you first need to install the CinéGV application on a computer, tablet or smartphone, then choose the film or series on the terminal and download it onto a USB key. For passengers who don't have a USB stick to hand, the terminal acts as a vending machine. Film rental costs between €3.99 and €4.99.
