VDA had the pleasure of attending the seminar “Hospitality accessible: Beyond the slide” organized by Sr. Veronica Donatello, Resp. National Service for the Pastoral Care of Persons with Disabilities.
Accessible Tourism is a market that involves 127 million people in Europe, with evidence that the number must double if you consider that people with disabilities almost never travel alone and have a large purchasing power (they spend + 30% compared to the traditional tourist).
Accessible tourism therefore, is not only a matter of freedom and dignity for those persons (an important issue), but also opens up new business opportunities, where by adopting necessary measures, the estimated increase in tourism GDP would be up to 20% per annum.
We know that making tourist accommodation accessible requires a number of actions that go beyond the technological aspect, but we are also aware that automation systems provides the guest with a stay that is more comfortable, thus improving the traveller’s experience, whilst contributing to the creation of that special Guest Experience, the main challenge within the hospitality market.
In this scenario, technology plays a fundamental role in accessible accommodation facilities, it improving access and the enjoyment of the hotel services.
There are two main advantages in making a hotel room SMART: Scalability and Energy Efficiency.
In the first case the costs are scalable, because they are directly linked to the type of installation, the number of rooms, and the equipment involved. In the case of Energy Efficiency, however, it has been shown that a difference of only 1° C can result in a change in energy consumption of up to 8%. Just with heating, ventilation, air conditioning and lighting systems, the operating costs can be reduced by 35 – 40%.
Both these aspects confirm that investing in room automation is useful because it substantially reduces operating costs and because it offers a return on investment (Roi) in about a year. Investing in a hotel automation system is not only a good choice for large facilities, but also for smaller hotels.
From check-in through the App, to entering into the room with Bluetooth technology, thanks to an integrated automation system the guest can live the stay in full autonomy, managing the air conditioning, heating, and lighting, from any location within the room.
An inclusive Guest Experience is the real challenge for the hospitality industry. It is not only an ethical choice, but also an economic one, because an area of tourism that is attentive to the needs of all, is an area of tourism that allows one to increase the revenues.