The influence of Augmented Reality in hotels.

The tourism sector is going through an exciting time. The latest technological advances are introducing new ways of interacting with users, creating new travel experiences and generating new business models within the travel sector. In all this digital transformation of tourism, the hotel sector is playing a key role. Offering guests new ways to experience their stay in hotels and in the surrounding tourist destination. From virtual tours to instant translations , hotel services include butlers equipped with Artificial Intelligence and personalized webapps where customers can customize all hotel products and services. In today's article we will analyze in detail the technological advances that we are experiencing in the tourism sector and specifically in hotels, delving into the influence of Augmented Reality and the rest of the immersive technologies that accompany it.

We are currently witnessing the digital transformation of tourism. From hotels to museums, travel agencies to theme parks, the industry is undergoing a major technological revolution . Different experiences and technologies applied to the tourism sector that fall under the Virtual Tourism trend. From boosting sales through the try before you buy with experiences of Extended Reality , visiting places from the past or inaccessible tourist destinations thanks to Virtual Reality. To be able to count on AI avatars or personalized guides to accompany you throughout your stay, or fostering the online community of a travelers' club . As in Exclusiverse , the virtual space of the world's No. 1 traveler club Exclusive Traveler Club. You can learn more about this key concept of the tourism sector in our publication → Virtual tourism as a new trend . Focusing on the hospitality industry, virtual tourism and the digitization of hotels allows you to create more accessible and personalized experiences for guests. Transforming the journey in the three key moments: before, during and after the hotel stay.

• Los hoteles pueden hacer uso de estas nuevas tecnologías para llegar a mucho más usuarios a través de una experiencia de compra innovadora y diferenciada. Pudiendo recorrer las instalaciones previamente a la estancia a través de gemelos virtuales digitales e incluso probando las diferentes actividades disponibles. Generando hype and cross-selling, conexión emocional y Engagement con los usuarios.

• Durante la estancia, las nuevas tecnologías permiten automatizar y personalizar todos los servicios hoteleros.Pudiendo crear apps para cada usuario donde gestionan todos los detalles de sus habitaciones y actividades: desde las peticiones especiales a la distribución de la habitación, hasta los horarios de las actividades y reservas de restaurantes. Donde incluso pueden tener su propio guía / mayordomo de Inteligencia Artificial que atiende a sus consultas y realiza recomendaciones. Un ejemplo de estos nuevos guías turísticos lo encontramos en el avatar IA de Miguel de Cervantes.

• Pero la interacción con el huésped no tiene por qué terminar tras la estancia en el hotel. Gracias a las nuevas tecnologías, las membresías digitales y los club loyalty, las compañías hoteleras pueden seguir manteniendo la interacción con su comunidad de huéspedes a través de sus propios Virtual Spaces. Espacios 3D donde realizar eventos, charlas, lanzamientos de novedades y crear un espacio de networking y comunidad entre sus usuarios.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are two of the technologies with the highest impact they are having on the hotel industry . Allowing to transform the way guests get to know the hotel and its facilities, enjoy their stay and visit the tourist destination. The importance of these immersive technologies lies in the ability it offers hotels to interact with users. Through Virtual Reality for companies , for example, allows potential customers to perform virtual tours of the hotel facilities . The hotel's immersive tour can be key to booking, highlighting its services and improving the overall perception of the hotel with more attractive and interactive marketing actions. Marketing actions such as the one carried out by Ibercaja SKI Pyrenees with the Frozen Emotion VR experience where users could test their skiing skills. Augmented Reality, on the other hand, enriches the guest's stay by providing layers of interactive information about hotel services directly through their mobile devices. This technology not only improves the customer experience by making it more informative and entertaining, but also offers hotels a new way to communicate and build customer loyalty. You may be interested in → Augmented Reality applications in tourism .

Augmented Reality is the technology capable of combining the real world with the digital world, superimposing virtual elements on reality itself . Thanks to this immersive technology, the real and virtual environments intermingle, creating interactive experiences accessible from several devices at the same time: from cell phones and tablets to Augmented Reality glasses. Let us now take a closer look at how to apply Augmented Reality to the hotel experience .

Gamification

Gamification is, undoubtedly, one of the major points when incorporating Augmented Reality into our customer experience. This trend allows us to add a playful and interactive element that enriches the guests' stay. Through challenges and pointing with the cell phone, we invite users to participate and get involved with the hotel , touring the facilities, completing challenges and collecting rewards that can be redeemed for prizes, discounts or exclusive experiences. Thus, the hotel can create Augmented Reality gymkhanas that appeal to smaller (and not so small) guests.

Augmented hotel environments

The combination of digital elements with the actual hotel space allows enriching the guest experience with fully integrated hotels. Combining new technologies such as IoT and Augmented Reality , users can access a variety of information in real time. AR technology allows hotels to offer a more personalized and engaging experience that can be adapted to the needs and preferences of each guest. From displaying Augmented Reality directions to guide you through the facilities, simultaneous translations or even enjoying more entertaining interactive experiences, such as discovering animated characters or art that comes to life in 3D.

Interactive hotel rooms

By utilizing Augmented Reality, hotels can superimpose digital elements directly into the physical environment of the room, such as detailed information about the artwork, interactive instructions for using technological devices such as smart TVs or climate control systems, and even options for personalizing the environment.

Traducción automática

In hotels, Augmented Reality (AR) is beginning to be used to facilitate automatic translations and overcome language barriers, significantly improving accessibility for international guests. Through the use of AR applications combined with the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence , guests can point their cameras at menus, signage, information brochures or any printed text inside the hotel to instantly see the translation in their native language on the screen of their device. You can learn more about the use of AI in tourism in our article → Artificial Intelligence in tourism: characteristics and examples .