68% of Latin American customers prefer contactless technology in hotels

After spending a lot of time at home and with plans canceled due to the pandemic, consumers are already planning their next trips. According to the global study "A Data-Based Look at Hospitality Recovery" conducted by Oracle and Skift, about 38% of respondents in Latin America feel comfortable thinking about traveling in the next three to six months. For the most part, people are choosing to take short trips by car (50%) or domestic (37%). In addition, the majority (78%) say that, if the country advances in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing the number of cases, they will be more willing to travel. With so much uncertainty ahead, consumers are also demanding quick access to customer service to manage reservation changes / cancellations (74%) and flexible cancellation / refund policies (66%).

In the survey, consumers point out that it is important that hotels share safety procedures regarding the virus (86%), have social distancing rules in public spaces (84%) and services with contactless technology (68%). In addition, respondents highlighted that hotels need to increase the frequency of cleaning and disinfection procedures (69%), measure the temperature of guests at check-in (40%) and have common areas adapted to social distance (35 %).

For their part, hotels are already thinking about preventive measures and 54% of them are considering expanding food delivery options and offering free rooms to health professionals (38%). In addition, 57% of the establishments have already increased the frequency of room cleaning and are using contactless payments (52%).

According to Christian Guinzburg, LAD & Caribbean Senior Director of Hospitality, Oracle Hospitality, technology continues to be an ally in protecting the lives of travelers and hospitality workers. "Safety remains a priority for consumers when considering travel, and the market is using technology to facilitate social distance and reduce personal interaction to protect guests," he said.

Change in demand and operations: With social distancing policies and new security and cleanliness measures, hotels will receive new types of travelers, increasing demand to promote a positive experience with the intention of building customer loyalty, forcing them to make genuine recommendations. accommodation.

Therefore, the research found:

• New profile of short- and long-term guests: about 19% of guests will travel in groups and 17% of people will travel for pleasure in the next 3-6 months. Next year, hotels estimate that the majority (15%) will travel for leisure and domestic (10%).

• New Policies: Hotels are rapidly adapting to meet consumer demands, and 57% of hotel owners report that they are already creating more flexible cancellation and refund policies. Many hotel executives are also limiting the number of guests in the elevator (47%), encouraging them to order food and drink on websites (43%) and, in terms of personnel management, are already temporarily adjusting the workload of the equipment (70%) and promoting the use of masks (60%).

• Safety will be the new standard: cleanliness will continue to be high on the agenda, with 68% of travelers agreeing that increasing the frequency of cleaning procedures will be the most influential factor in their decision on which travel brands choose for your next trips. Hotel executives appear ready to meet this expectation, with 57% already changing cleaning procedures.

Technology and guest experience
Technology reduces the need for personal interactions and enables hotels to offer services that limit direct contact. The study shows:

• Contactless technology: More than 52% of executives said they are already using contactless payment services. More than half of consumers agree, indicating that contactless payments (29%), digital room keys (24%) and digital messaging services (21%) are among the three changes main reasons that would make them more comfortable staying in a hotel.

• Self-service enables quick check-in: More than half of executives (55%) are considering self-service to help guests with check-in procedures, minimizing unnecessary contact. Already 44% of consumers agree that they would be more willing to stay in hotels that have implemented these types of services, and 15% cite self-service check-in through the kiosk as an amendment that would increase their comfort.

* The Oracle and Skift survey consulted more than 41 executives in the Latin American hospitality sector, including hotels, short-term rental operators, cruise lines, boutique hotels and casinos, to understand their views on the resumption of the market . Additionally, 701 consumers in the region were heard to understand the impact of COVID-19 on travel plans and expectations for hotel stays.