A new feature of The Hotel Show, opening today, is the TecSec Summit 2015, which will discuss how new technology and security are impacting the global hospitality industry.
Christine Davidson, group event director of the DMG Events hospitality portfolio including The Hotel Show, said: "We have seen evidence that hoteliers are investing considerably in technology. Gone are the days when providing the ability to book online was enough.
"To capture guests, hoteliers now have to provide unique offerings and experiences that utilise the latest technologies from 3D cinema rooms to waterproof LED TV’s in bathroom mirrors to multi-room surround-sound music.
"Evidence of enhanced guest security is another important factor now that state-of-the-art fingerprint door locks, facial recognition technology, and other new and impressive means of controlling an individual’s safety are available on the market."
NEC, pioneers of the most advanced facial recognition tech in the market, will open the summit. The company's cameras are installed throughout a property and used within hotels to recognise the faces of guests, check registered guest information, identify guests and alert hotel staff of VIP or undesirable visitors.
Kees Van Donk, director of hospitality EMEA, NEC said: “In the Middle East and Africa, the use of facial recognition technology has seen significant growth over the last two years particularly in government sectors. We foresee this rise will continue with neighboring industries in the region’s private sector including hospitality, airports, theme parks and other travel-related businesses. This for both scenario’s, white-listing, welcoming the VIP-guests, as well as black-listing, keeping the ‘bad guys’ out.”
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He added: "Hoteliers are now beginning to understand that although a safe environment for guests should be a basic and given element and condition, situations can arise which cannot be determined or pre-planned. The available face recognition technology has now reached a level of maturity and accuracy that it can be used for ‘real life’ situations of varying levels of security threat."
“Terrorism, theft, violence and other security threats cannot be ignored and can now be monitored more closely and accurately. VIPs as well as undesirable guests including wanted criminals can be detected as soon as they arrive on a hotel property.”
Further highlights of the TecSec 2015 programme include: on the security front, “How to minimise the risk of threats checking into your business” presented by Samer Abu Arisheh, regional security account manager at Cisco Security. On technology, Ali Hashmi, industry manager, travel & government at Google will speak on the topic of “Online behavioural traits of MENA millennials”, while Rayan Soumsom, technology manager - Middle East & Africa from TecSec sponsors for 2015, Crestron, will present on “Transforming an integrated hotel into a smart hotel”.
Other speakers are from TravelClick Inc., Greentec Automation DMCC, and the Rotana, Mina Seyahi and Media One hotels, while topics include: “The BIG IT Debate”; “Using social platforms to your advantage”; “Assessment of energy efficiency in hotels”; “Technology foundations for perfect guest experience”; “Global online bookings in Q2 2015 and trends for future”; “Can hotel rooms ever be too tech?”; and “How to satisfy tech savvy guests”.
The new TecSec Summit, sponsored by Crestron, Bang & Olufsen, RateGain and CMT Technologies, will run for the three days of The Hotel Show Dubai, from September 28-30, 2015 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
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