April 19, 2023 - The pandemic changed the way the hospitality industry works, for both hotel operators and their guests — and Crestron's uniquely positioned to help.

What's the definition of "hospitality?" For our purposes, the following are most relevant:

• The friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.
• The business of providing food, drink, and accommodation for customers of restaurants, bars, etc., or guests at hotels.

The idea of "hospitality" has been viewed in many different ways over time, and it's certainly taken on new facets since the world stopped turning in the midst of a global pandemic. People's perceptions of hospitality changed rapidly: A hotel guest who wanted a personal touch suddenly realized that desire came with risks. The complexity of travel restrictions added to the overall paranoia we all felt — especially in the early, mysterious, and frightening days of COVID.

As a result of all these factors, the hospitality market was in the direct firing line.

The Great Post-Pandemic Shift

Technology took on a huge new relevance in the face of the lockdowns. As hybrid work — with its mix of remote and in-person staff — became the norm, the hotel industry had to adapt — and fast — to meet the needs of the modern traveler that were generated in a post-pandemic landscape.

There's another challenge for the modern hospitality industry: We're the most connected generation of people that has ever existed. We have immediate access to the experiences and reviews of others. As a result, the expectations of a quality experience have never been higher — for guests and operators alike.

It's time for a new approach to the technology utilized by the hospitality industry, to create solutions that offer a better experience for the guest as well as a better management platform for the operator. Crestron is in a unique position to provide both.

Solutions for Guests and Operators

Some of the fundamental needs of guests and operators in modern hospitality include solutions for the following:

For the Guest

• Contactless booking and check-in
• Simple access to hotel space and amenities
• "Bring your own device" (BYOD) integration with hotel room and services
• Technology that helps bring a sense of wellness throughout the hotel experience

For the Operator

• Efficient operational processes
• Managed energy savings
• Intelligently controlled environments
• Improved guest experience
• How do we achieve this?

The Solution: Building Intelligence

How do we approach this new era? The traditional approach was to focus solely on the guest — it was all about the one-to-one interaction between the hotelier and the guest that created the perfect stay. The new approach adopts the environment, the building fabric, the surroundings — everything we see, touch and hear — as part of the creation of the experience. The focus is on helping the guest use all of their senses to enhance the experience within the spaces they pass through.

The key to this is building intelligence: that is, understanding the makeup of the building and making the building work for both the operator and the guest. Having a truly integrated building will allow the operator to make the building work for them: For example, they may control and schedule the spaces the guests move through with audio scenes, mood and circadian rhythm lighting, and digital artwork that complements lush interiors. Coupling all of this with intelligent control of the building services — including closely monitoring air quality — can help the guest achieve a state of well-being in all the spaces of the hotel, and not just the guest room.

Ultimately, a hotel is not just a place you occupy when you visit — it should complement your experience and become an integral part of the memory of your stay, leaving you with the desire to return again and again.

Crestron strives to push the boundaries of its hardware solutions to allow the technological pathways in software that can drive these new frontiers for intelligent buildings and spaces. And we're just getting started: From guestroom management suites for the hospitality industry to the potential of deep integrations with human behavioral algorithms for healthcare, the future is limitless. By optimizing our newest range of virtual control platforms, we are the pioneers in an evolution of technology that is driven by the needs of a new generation of travelers.