The evolution of personalisation in hotels: Enhancing guest experiences through technology
Op-Ed: Peter Ollerton, explores how AI-driven solutions are reshaping hotels—can technology truly craft deeply personalised guest experiences?
Personalisation is essential for creating exceptional guest experiences in today’s hospitality experience, encompassing everything from bespoke welcome messages to tailored room upgrades that reflect each guest’s unique preferences.
Leveraging AI-driven solutions, hotels can design highly personalised interactions. By analysing data from previous stays, booking histories and guest feedback, AI builds detailed guest profiles. These profiles enable AI-powered concierge services to recommend ideal room selections, dining options and local activities that resonate with each guest. Additionally, in-room messaging systems can utilise Property Management System (PMS) data to offer customised suggestions that enhance the guest’s itinerary.
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In the evolving landscape of Australian hospitality, personalisation has emerged as a pivotal factor in enhancing guest satisfaction and fostering loyalty. Recent studies indicate that 68% of Asia-Pacific travellers, including Australians, are willing to pay more for tailored services, underscoring the growing demand for customised experiences.
This shift in consumer expectations is prompting Australian hotels to innovate and adapt. Many establishments are integrating advanced technologies to offer personalised services that resonate with individual guest preferences.
Technology-driven personalisation in hotels
To meet growing guest expectations, hotels are leveraging a range of tech-driven solutions, including:
- Personalised in-room entertainment – Allowing guests to securely access their own streaming accounts, ensuring a seamless transition from home to hotel.
- Smart room technologies – Adjusting room settings such as lighting and temperature before arrival to align with guest preferences, creating a welcoming and customised environment.
- AI-powered concierge services – Providing tailored recommendations for dining, spa treatments, and activities based on previous guest preferences and real-time data.
- Seamless wifi connectivity – Ensuring automatic connection for returning guests, eliminating login frustrations and reinforcing a sense of familiarity.
True personalisation goes beyond automation by incorporating a human touch. AI chatbots can efficiently handle routine requests, reducing front desk calls by over 35 percent and freeing staff to focus on meaningful, value-added interactions that enrich the guest experience.
Nick Jones, EVP & CTO of WorldVue, explains: “When you call tech support, your expectations are typically very low. If the agent on the other side of the phone knows my name, I perk up a little. When that agent recounts the issue I had before, that is even more surprising. If they keep me from having to repeat myself to everyone I am transferred to, I am blown away.
“This is the scenario we are trying to create for the hospitality industry. If your staff can document small things revealed through previous stays and interactions with guests – if personal information is used in a way that respects a guest’s privacy and preferred level of interaction – that presents an opportunity for an above-and-beyond experience.”
By blending advanced AI technologies with attentive, personalised service, hotels can achieve the perfect balance. This ensures guests feel genuinely valued and understood, leading to memorable stays and increased loyalty.
The business impact of personalisation
The emphasis on personalisation is not just about enhancing the guest experience; it also has significant business implications. Research reveals that 61 percent of consumers are willing to spend more with companies that offer customised experiences, highlighting the revenue benefits for hotels that prioritise personalisation.
However, while 83 percent of Australian consumers expect personalised experiences, 71 percent express frustration when such experiences feel impersonal. Additionally, 56 percent of consumers are willing to share their data for tailored offerings, but hotels must strike the right balance between personalisation and privacy.
Supporting hotels in their personalisation journey
Delivering seamless, personalised experiences requires the right infrastructure, for hotels and their teams. Tailored solutions, ensuring technology enhances rather than complicates guest interactions.
- Advanced in-room entertainment – allowing guests to log in to their personal streaming accounts securely, providing a truly home-like entertainment experience.
- Integrated wifi & smart connectivity – helping hotels implement tiered wifi services, device recognition for repeat guests, and smart integrations that streamline connectivity.
- AI-driven personalisation – Custom recommendations to automated room adjustments, help hotels leverage data responsibly to exceed guest expectations.
- Seamless PMS & service integration – ensuring smooth integration with hotel systems, enabling personalised greetings, offers, and room settings at check-in.
As the Australian hospitality industry continues to evolve, embracing the latest in smart hotel technology, hoteliers can not only meet but exceed expectations, driving both guest loyalty and long-term business success.
Peter Ollerton – Director of Sales Oceania is a sales and business growth specialist with over 40 years of global experience in hospitality technology and ICT. A pioneer in SaaS, cloud solutions, and streaming video, he has led startups, trained high-performing sales teams, and driven business success. With a background at IBM and expertise in broadband, WiFi, and hospitality robotics, Peter now helps expand WorldVue’s footprint across the Asia-Pacific region.