ARTICLE: Hotel industry, challenges and opportunities to create unique guest experiences

By: Avaya PR Team Central America
info@techpr.guru

Currently, international tourism is showing a significant recovery after surviving the harsh impact of the pandemic despite the great challenges of the world economy. This is shown by studies from international organizations such as the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) which states, in its annual Travel & Tourism Economic Impact report, that between 2022 and 2032, Travel & Tourism’s contribution to the global economy is expected to increase at an average annual rate of 5.8%, which is more than double the average annual growth rate of 2.7% estimated for the world economy. During the same period, the sector is expected to generate 126 million additional jobs.

On the other hand, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, more than 900 million tourists made international trips in 2022, twice as many as in 2021, although that figure is still 63% of pre-pandemic levels. It further states that all regions of the world recorded notable increases in international tourist numbers.

However, this recovery, in addition to showing positive results to the economies of the countries, also means an accelerated increase in the demand for services and operational challenges, so that entrepreneurs in the hospitality sector have had to implement strengthened strategies to achieve excellence in service and infrastructure to provide the best experiences to their guests, partners and employees.

Hotel Hacienda del Mar Los Cabos and Grupo Xcaret are examples of hotels that experienced an accelerated recovery after the COVID crisis thanks to their investment in technology. Both large resorts located in the north and south of Mexico, with whom I had the opportunity to talk during a panel sponsored by the Mexican Customer Experience Association, recognize the strategies to prioritize in order to experience an accelerated recovery in the hospitality industry:

More agile, efficient and empathetic attention to guests and customers, especially in first contact resolution.
Reliable end-to-end metrics across the Customer Journey
Constant evolution, review and automation of processes taking into account the customer, user and agent experience
Offer options for guests and customers to contact by different means, taking into account the profile of each of them
Flexibility in reservation and cancellation policies.
Self-sustainable strategies and obtain the appropriate certifications.
Promote the balance of employees: work and personal life that translates into having a better version of each one to share all the benefits that hotels have.
Implement hybrid work schemes for its Contact Center employees and establish physical and mental health programs, specialization and training programs that include leadership and coaching opportunities, to place them in the best position to develop their skills.
High standards in handling, protection and backup of information and personal data with encrypted information.
Integrate the Information Technology area for the development of Customer Experience projects from the very beginning.
For example, at Avaya we have also been working on this evolution and, as a company specialized in creating the best experiences for customers, our focus is to deliver the best technology platform that allows delivering memorable experiences to customers, connecting customer service at every point of contact and a timely return on investment. because it is not just about digitizing or investing in technology just for a trend, but in evaluating how it will really help to face this growing demand for services efficiently while generating the best experiences. Ultimately, the execution of these strategies ends up being reflected in higher RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room).

For more information on how Avaya can help travel and tourism organizations, please visit www.avaya.com/es.