Everplaces

Everplaces is a community of travellers who save and share places of interest. Having been compared to a Pinterest for travellers, Everplaces offers a truly social experience within a well-designed platform. The company also offer a business solution for bloggers and companies who wish to curate places as a guide for their followers.

What we love most about Everplaces is the beautiful user interface on its iPhone application. It is a real joy to use and brings excitement back to the process of finding a great new place.

• Platforms: iOS.

• Price: Free

VeryLastRoom

VeryLastRoom offer a mobile booking service for last-minute hotel rooms. In partnership with a network of hotels who wish to ensure a maximum occupancy rate, they offer rooms to guests, with the price continuing to decrease in correlation with the amount of time before the stay. However, with so many users watching these increasingly mouth-watering prices descending, you have to be careful not to let the rooms sell out!

• Platforms: iOS.

• Price: Free

Guidigo

Guidigo is a mobile and web application that launched in February 2013. It is effectively a platform for city tours, where users are free to either download or upload content. This is a fantastic and unique approach in a very crowded sector. With the growth of apps, touristic recommendations have become slightly overwhelming, but with its passionate, individual storytellers, Guidigo is well-placed to gain a significant following in the months to come.

• Platforms: iOS.

• Price: Free

Earlier this month, PricewaterhouseCoopers released their European cities hotel forecast for 2013, the second edition of the publication that predicts market movements in 19 of the continent's most important gateway cities, based on key metrics such as occupancy rates, ADR and RevPAR. PwC also account for events that may provoke additional tourism, and economic conditions that may inhibit activity.

You can find the full 56-page document here.

We found some of the statistics in the report fascinating. However, the most inspirational aspect of the study was that there were some parts that aligned directly with our vision.

2012: thriving in a difficult economic climate

PwC found that despite the economic downturn that continues to trouble Europe, the hotel sector has remained 'remarkably resilient' in the past 12 months. Dublin and Prague, for example, showed double-digit RevPAR percentage growth (13.9% and 10.7% respectively).

2013: another steady year

Although RevPAR growth is predicted to slow this year as a result of the economic headwinds, PwC believe that the European hotel industry will generally hold firm, with some particular high-flyers. On the other hand, London will have to deal with an Olympic hangover, explaining the 7.9% decrease in RevPAR.

Superstar cities

• Paris: The report presents some fantastic news for Parisian hotels: not only does the city top the tables for anticipated RevPAR growth in 2013 at an increase of 5.0%, but other key metrics such as occupancy rates and ADR rest strongly in its favour. This is the case even though Paris is not expecting to play host to any abnormal events that will significantly drive tourism.

• St. Petersburg: The Russian city of St. Petersburg is also predicted to succeed in the next 12 months. With an expected occupancy growth of 2.0% and a RevPAR growth (in euro terms) of 7.3%, Russia's second city will build on a strong 2012 with another robust year in 2013.

Hotels must evolve or die in the volatile economic climate

It is no secret that the eurozone is undergoing a period of scrutiny, while 'many of the economic fundamentals across the currency bloc remain precarious'.

As a result, hotels are being forced to keep pace with the latest developments to avoid getting left behind the competition.

In the report, hotel industry leaders listed 'the digital revolution' as one of the issues, trends or opportunities that keeps them awake a night. Technology has become inevitable for hotels as it drives the change in consumer preferences, and we are seeing more and more establishments implementing solutions to keep pace with the trend.

PwC also produced this interesting diagram illustrating the customer lifecycle in a travel context, and how technology is increasingly involved in not only the research/buy phase anymore, but also the experience phase. They consider these two 'digital waves' as opportunities for hotels to truly distinguish themselves from the competition.

One only has to look at the way that room reservation has transformed since the birth of the internet to see the willingness that travellers have towards adopting new technology.

At LoungeUp, we strongly believe that the mobile platform is crucial to the improvement of communication during the hotel stay, and more broadly, the overall experience. The satisfaction of a guest is strongly linked to the interaction that they have within the hotel, be it with staff or other guests. By no means should technology replace human customer service, but it can most certainly complement it and open a new line of communication that younger generations of guests are more comfortable with.

We all know that quality of service is all about being there without being too intrusive. Mobile technology gives hoteliers the ability to do exactly this: to be in guests' pockets before, during and after their stay.

As a result, the relationship between the hotel and the guest is strengthened, creating an increased sense of loyalty.

Our thanks go to PricewaterhouseCoopers and their European Hospitality & Leisure Research team, who produced this fantastic report.

We have translated the article into English, and it is available for you to read below.

LoungeUp: the 24-hour mobile concierge for hotels

Hello, Mathieu Pollet, you are the co-founder of LoungeUp. Could you tell us a little bit about your background and how the idea came about that led you to launch LoungeUp?

Hello Julien,

18 months ago, Lionel Tressens (the other founder and CTO) and I were considering starting a business based on mobile technology. At the time, I was travelling a lot for my job, and I was surprised that so many hotels all over the world interacted so little with their guests, and that they weren’t trying to capitalise on new technologies.

After investigating further and discussing with hoteliers, we realised that there was a gap in the market and a need for a handheld solution.

So the original LoungeUp idea stemmed from the feeling of guests, of regular consumers and of hospitality lovers!

Today, LoungeUp develops a mobile platform that permits hotels, resorts and clubs to interact with their clients directly on their devices during their stay.

Guests in hotels that use LoungeUp can, from their mobile, in their language, access information about the hotel and its surroundings, order services, play games, communicate with other guests, send and receive messages from the hotel staff and respond to satisfaction surveys.

At the end of 2012, around 30 hotels had already brought the benefits of LoungeUp to their guests.

Our client hotels range from 3 to 5 stars. They’re situated in both urban settings (corporate and leisure) and equally holiday environments such as hotels in the Sibuet Group set in the mountains.

The benefits that our hotels experience are an increase in both ancillary service revenue (F&B, spa, boutique) and in customer satisfaction.

We are talking more and more about ‘improving the guest experience’ thanks to new technologies. How does LoungeUp succeed in this respect?

Our vision is that cutting-edge technologies contribute to the improvement of the guest experience under the condition that they don’t replace the human customer service relationship but instead complement this existing aspect.

Nowadays, real, top-quality service involves offering a choice to guests: whether the conversation is held physically or digitally, the speed and accuracy of response is what remains important. For the guest, making the choice depends on their preferences, the hour of the day or the night and their location.

Based on this philosophy, we have created an application with a beautiful and ergonomic design. We have developed different versions that are compatible with most devices that are found in the luggage of travellers, as opposed to just the iPhone (n.b. LoungeUp is compatible with iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire & Blackberry as well as all laptops). We think that there would be nothing worse than a guest beiHellng told, “Sorry, the application for our hotel isn’t compatible with your device!”

Furthermore, as opposed to being banal and generic, the content on the application is completely customisable and it reflects the image and the identity that the hotel wishes to portray to its guests. Finally, accessing LoungeUp in a hotel is extremely simple and it isn’t necessary (although recommended) to install the application. Even though certain guests may have a state-of-the-art smartphone or tablet, they may not know their App Store credentials...

This simplicity is fundamental because otherwise establishments risk damaging their image with a poor implementation.

Ideally, new technologies must also allow the hotel to open up new possibilities for improving quality of service, such as allowing guests to benefit from the services of the hotel even if they are away from the building itself.

In this same vein, it is convenient for guests to be able to reserve a spa treatment for the evening after a day on the slopes while going up the ski lift, or perhaps to receive an invitation to a wine-tasting in the hotel lobby while sitting at their desk at work.

Introducing guests to each other (if they would like) is also something that would be difficult to do without an innovation such as LoungeUp.

Could you give us some information on the amount of guests in hotels who are using smartphones and tablets and some perspectives for the years to come?

Generally speaking, the amount of travellers using mobile devices is much higher than average: 80% of travellers have a smartphone, and 15% of European travellers have a smartphone and a tablet in their luggage - this rises to over 40% for American travellers!

For our Parisian clients, we find that between 15-27% of connections to the internet are made through an iPad, including in establishments where you may think that the guests are not so keen on these technologies.

Why should a hotelier choose a solution like LoungeUp in 2013?

Given that when guests are at home, they are able to do everything with their mobiles (e.g. buying cinema tickets, reserving restaurants, getting home deliveries), it is thus reasonable to expect to be able to do as much when they stay in a hotel.

As well as that, LoungeUp can really help to transform the hotel experience into something different and unique. Without a doubt, this individuality will have a positive effect on the image and reputation of the hotel and as a result, on the amount of reservations...

Finally, for establishments that offer many services, the mobile platform is a very effective tool for sales and promotion. With hotels suffering from unprecedented levels of pressure on room prices and margins, the sale of additional services is becoming very important.

A final reason is that our solution is one of the most proven on the market; we have clients that have used our service for a year. This product maturity is reassuring for clients.

To conclude, do you have any 2013 predictions for us?

Without doubt, 2013 will see all manner of records relating to mobile devices broken again. And probably, the hotel industry, in a general sense, will make good use of it because the operators are beginning to understand the usage of these devices.

For example, I think that the majority of hotels will ensure that their website is available in mobile format. This is essential as more than 20% of reservations are being made from mobile devices.

At the same time, the trend of independent hotels creating their own application (equivalent to their website) hoping that that will generate reservations is going to disappear: when a guest is looking for a hotel, they tend to look at several offers and they don’t really take the time to install an app just to find out more about a potential hotel.

On the other hand, it is very important that the guest lands on a mobile website that is as attractive as the standard version. What’s more, the mobile site should also be optimised for search engines.

It is only when the reservation has been made that the guest will be willing to make the most of their stay with a service like LoungeUp.

I also think that in 2013, new usages of mobiles will emerge in hotels, such as express checkout and payment, or the replacement of physical loyalty cards, not to mention an increase in last-minute reservations...

So what does 2013 hold? For us, expanding nationally and internationally is a priority. After making so much progress this year, we are excited to think about the position we will be in at this time next year. Bearing in mind the predictions that experts have made regarding the development of mobile devices in society, there is reason to believe that even more hotels will understand the benefits a mobile hospitality solution like LoungeUp can offer.

Keep visiting LoungeUp Insider's View to get the latest news and opinions on technology in the hospitality industry!

The end of 2012 is nigh and what a year it has been. The hospitality industry has evolved in twists and turns, embracing the benefits of both guest-facing and back-end solutions to improve the overall experience.

However, a new year is around the corner and analysts have declared their predictions on how they feel the relationship between hotels and technology will change in the next 12 months. We have compiled a list of 6 interesting articles that we feel accurately summarise certain key developments that will happen in the industry.

Enjoy reading them and be sure to comment with your thoughts at the end of the article!

1. VFM Leonardo

2013 Hotel Marketing Trends: From standout social media to marvelous mobile marketing

This whitepaper produced by VFM Leonardo features insightful statistics regarding mobile usage and the correlation it has to the way that hotels can improve their marketing activity.

2. Hotel Business Review (Robert Roach)

Top 10 Hospitality Industry Trends for 2013

Although this article is slightly more general, there is one particular paragraph that is particularly relevant to hospitality technology: 'Social Media and Mobile will be inseparable'. Social networks are deeply integrated in LoungeUp as we consider them an indispensible medium for hotels to boost their consumer-to-consumer recommendations.

3. Tnooz

Tnooz Predictions 2013 - The biggest and best list in travel technology

This extensive catalogue of predictions by renowned industry experts provides some fantastic insight into potential changes over the forthcoming 12 months in the travel space. There are some interesting views on the startup sector and mobile payments.

4. eyefortravel

The rising mobile tide: five trends for 2012-2013

This report essentially tackles the way that the ever-increasingly presence of smartphones and tablets is transforming the evolving expectations and habits of guests. The author underlines the sharp growth of tablets as a means to interact with the hotel.

5. HeBS digital Blog (Max Starkov & Mariana Mechoso Safer)

2013 Hotel Mobile Technology Trends

This article advises hoteliers how to optimise their usage of the mobile channel in order to maximise revenue, based on statistical analysis of the way that guests interact with the hotel. The authors emphasise the necessity of presence on both smartphones and tablets, something that we strongly agree with at LoungeUp.

6. HotelsMag.com (Larry Mogelonsky)

Tech trends to watch in 2013

Popular hotel technology blogger Larry Mogelonsky discusses the stabilisation and consolidation of solutions that have been created in the last couple of years in this article. We are really inspired by Larry's predictions in particular because he values the same principles that we hold dearest, one of which is returning to quality guest services through the power of technology.

NB. It is necessary to register with HotelsMag.com to view this article, but we promise you it'll be worth it!

Text100 yesterday released the latest edition in their Digital Index series on the Travel & Tourism sector. It provides a detailed study of how general mobile and social trends are affecting the way that travellers interact with technology during their time away. It also presents persuasive indications that travel operators should seriously consider investing in connectivity to deliver improved social capital and brand value.

We were very impressed by the quality of the research material. You can download the full report by clicking here. However, we have highlighted what we consider to be our top 4 observations from the study, which you can read below.

1. Around 88% of respondents are equipped with a mobile device capable of receiving WiFi or 3G when on vacation.

This statistic highlights the huge presence of mobile technology in today's society. It essentially indicates that there is an enormous customer base for the hospitality sector to draw on if they invest in mobile solutions that are intuitive and fulfil the wishes of guests.

2. Over 50% of people are likely to download travel apps related to their vacation before they go

We found this statistic interesting as it underlined the manner in which people have embraced mobile apps. Furthermore, Text100 surveyed the types of apps that users chose to download. When hospitality institutions combine these different purposes into a single mobile solution for guests, it can be a truly powerful tool for building brand identity and customer satisfaction. For example, hotels can improve the satisfaction of the 38% of travellers downloading a city guide app by providing an informative mobile concierge service through a portal.

3. Just under 50% of respondents would be persuaded to get more involved in social media on vacation if free WiFi was available

This statistic signals that the social media usage of travellers is depending increasingly on the availability of free WiFi in the target destination. As a result, hotels should consider implementing an internet connection and integrating it into their basic room price as the benefits are mutual: the guest becomes more satisfied, and the establishment profits from the resulting satisfaction in the form of positive reviews and feedback.

4. Approximately 1 in 5 travellers check-in to their location during their vacation

Although this statistic isn't perhaps as eye-catching as others, it does certainly highlight the growth of this new 'check-in' functionality of social media. Preparing your hotel for future increases in usage by creating representative pages is a good idea if you wish to impress them as they perform this action. Moreover, 'checking in' on social media is something that can be integrated into a proprietary mobile portal for your hotel, unifying the mobile experience further. With LoungeUp, it is also now possible to offer guests staying in the hotel the opportunity to communicate with each other after checking in with Facebook.

In summary, this report by Text100 provides concrete evidence that travellers are using technology more and more during their vacation. Installing a multichannel solution in hotels such as LoungeUp is an effective method to capitalise on this new generational embracing of mobile devices.

Postagram

Postagram, powered by Sincerely, is a fantastic app that enables the user to send postcards with a brief message and a picture from either the internal photo gallery, Facebook or Instagram. What we love about Postagram is the ease and relatively low cost with which the postcards can be sent internationally: if you are travelling abroad, it is possible to send a short message to your loved ones at home with your favourite picture from your trip. All from the comfort of a hotel room, for example! Also, we loved the 5 free postcards that we claimed when downloading the app - thanks Postagram!

• Platforms: iOS, Android.

• Price: Free

iTranslate Voice

iTranslate Voice combines the multi-linguistic capabilities of Google Translate with the industry-leading voice recognition software used by Apple's Siri to produce one of the most interesting translation solutions to date. Obviously, voice technology is still slightly unreliable, but this app would definitely be beneficial for those visiting countries where they are totally unable to speak the language. For example, hotel guests visiting an unknown region could breach the language barrier to communicate with concierge or more broadly hotel staff for things like room service.

• Platforms: iOS.

• Price: £0.69/€0.89

Onavo Extend

Onavo Extend is a fantastic utility that shrinks data usage. In a time where mobile network providers are beginning to charge a premium for internet usage, particularly when abroad, this app is a genuine money-saving solution. It can make data roaming charges more manageable, which is incredibly useful for business guests who need to receive important emails. Furthermore, leisure travellers who wish to check their social networks or news at home can also avoid spending more than necessary.

• Platforms: iOS, Android.

• Price: Free

Equip'Hotel is a biennial Paris-based trade exhibition for the hospitality sector. Attracting over 100,000 visitors, it has been running for over 51 editions. Companies come from all parts of the globe to exhibit their products and services.

A more international experience

Equip'Hotel has been carefully boosting its international stature in recent years, and this year is expected to be the most global event to date. In 2010, 26.4% of exhibitors and 17.6% of visitors were from overseas. Since then, Equip'Hôtel has launched an international daily publication called Equip'Hôtel International, featuring all aspects of hospitality and offering a platform for its guests to showcase themselves through print media or advertising.

A themed floorplan

Equip'Hôtel have decided to arrange the exhibition into 5 thematically-based sections. Companies will be placed into the relevant sectors for the ease of guests.

These categories are displayed below.

The technological revolution

We're sure that the conference centre is going to be invaded by a certain young, fast-growing species: the tablet. Swathes of tablets will descend on Paris Expo at Porte de Versailles to demonstrate that technology is becoming more and more valuable to the hospitality industry.

Furthermore, Equip'Hotel have planned a number of exciting conferences involving technology in hotels. A link to these is posted below. We are particularly excited about the following talks:

• 'In-room technologies', by Ian Millar. The first part is at 12pm on Sunday 11th November, and the second is at 11am on Monday 12th.

• 'Applications mobiles: un nouvel enjeu pour les hotels', by Jean-François Pieri. This starts at 2pm on Wednesday 14th November.

Come and visit us!

You can also expect to see LoungeUp making our Equip'Hôtel debut. We are exhibiting on two booths: one in partnership with Orange Business Services, and the other in partnership with Ucopia, Eona and Aastra.

The former booth can be found at 2-G14 in the 'Manage & Connect' section of the exhibition, and the latter will be at 2-F68 in the same section.

Last Friday, we put on our party hats, pulled our party poppers and blew out the candles on the cake. Why? It was officially LoungeUp's first birthday!

On October 26 2011, Mathieu and Lionel decided to launch LoungeUp, your mobile hospitality solution, after months of careful consideration and planning. They set out to improve the way that hotels interact with their guests by developing a service for their mobile devices.

For the last 12 months, the co-founders have devoted themselves to improving the solution to where it stands today.

LoungeUp is now present in around 20 different establishments, and we are most grateful for the help they continue to give us, which enables us to make the solution more complete and efficient by the day.

The LoungeUp team has grown to consist of 10 members, with each and every one sharing the same passion about the product and the benefits it can bring to hoteliers around the world.

We also see this as a good opportunity to thank everybody that has been a part of the LoungeUp story so far. Whether you are an interested follower, a former team member or a faithful client, you are so important to our company. We continue to make huge leaps forward every week and this excites us all greatly.

And one last thing! No birthday would be complete without a great surprise present. This is why, to mark LoungeUp's first birthday, we are releasing our new video showcasing our product. You can view it below. Enjoy the video and have a great week!

Improve the guest experience

A survey commissioned by Hilton Hotels & Resorts in 2012 indicated nearly 50% of 6,000 guests considered the existence of a spa important to the selection of a hotel. Relaxation and stress reduction services, like massages, sauna and steam rooms, are the primary driver of global spa usage. With customer satisfaction becoming increasingly crucial, enticing guests into enjoying additional services like the spa can drive positive reviews, enhancing online reputation. Male business travellers are undermining gender stereotypes and increasingly becoming an important part of the spa guest mix. Industry-wide statistics are difficult to come by, but 13% of men questioned by AMTA in July 2011 had received massage treatment in the preceding 12 months, a substantial percentage. By creating and offering shorter versions of treatments, spas have been able to capture this elusive clientele. This conversion of guests, who may not have previously indulged in well-being services of this kind, has developed loyalty and improved the experience of first-time users.

Raise the value of the asset

What is abundantly clear about hotel spas is that they immediately raise the financial and marketing value of the asset. For many years, hotel spas were seen as something of a necessity for luxury hotels; there were a symbol of status withinin the hospitality industry. This remains true. However, additionally, with the marketing potential of a spa being exploited more effectively these days, it is also possible to secure an edge over industry competition. In such a competitive marketplace, attracting these extra clients can prove crucial.

Generate a valuable additional revenue stream

Whereas hotels used to settle on running their spa as an amenity to attract guests in years gone by, the tighter financial conditions of recent times have encouraged a more strategic perspective. With greater attention to detail, successful spa managers have been able to produce a profitable additional revenue stream. In fact, in a study conducted by PKF Hospitality Research, it was found that the surveyed hotels raised $16.25 per occupied guest room in hotel spa revenue. They have achieved this through measured marketing, payroll control and promotional offers. For example, encouraging staff to advertise treatments to guests when possible, and incorporating a mobile hospitality solution to permit upselling on guests' mobile devices, can boost revenues. Furthermore, if the facilities are opened up to residents of the local area, this can provide another source of custom, not to mention maintaining healthy regional relations and integrating into the community. In fact, in the aforementioned 2012 survey by Hilton Hotels & Resorts, 40% of respondents said they would be more likely to visit a hotel spa near their home if it offered a local membership programme.

In conclusion, the renewed and increasing investment by hotels into spa facilities is justifiable as a result of the diverse benefits they offer. Tyra Lowman, Senior Director of Global Spa with Hilton Hotels & Resorts, once claimed that ‘there was a whole theory that spas didn’t make money for hotels’. Having detached themselves from this negative mindset, hotel spas have advanced to become a dynamic asset of the establishment in which they are situated.

NFC

Apple’s decision to exclude near field communications (NFC) technology was a serious talking point after the September 12 keynote. Glenn Gruber for Tnooz describes NFC as ‘a decade-plus old technology that has yet to catch on as predicted’. Unfortunately, security remains an issue for NFC, as this metro app demonstrates. Nevertheless, Android, iOS’s main mobile OS rival, continues to support the technology: Google Wallet and MasterCard PayPass represent two popular software implementations, offering methods of instant contactless payment. In the context of the hotel industry, NFC has recently been used in a room-key capacity (e.g. the Clarion Hotel, Stockholm) to streamline the check-in process. However, other solutions like the Mobile Key by Open Ways employ existing technologies (Crypto Acoustic Credential, or CAR, in this case) to achieve the same function. As no single solution has emerged as an industry standard at this stage, and considering Apple’s reluctance to integrate new technologies until the landscape is clearer, it is difficult to foresee major change to current operation in this respect.

Passbook

However, Apple’s ‘Passbook’ application, which arrives on iOS 6 and not just the iPhone 5, may offer some indication as to their involvement in this area in the future. With such a young and unsettled market in question, Passbook, according to Roger L. Kay of Endpoint Technology Associates, ‘casts a sceptical eye at the NFC market and says to players like Microsoft, “You prove it. And if you do, we’ll come in.”’ Apple has recognised that the current level of demand for a mobile payment solution isn’t such that it is obliged to produce one, but the software may evolve in the future to integrate the facility. Passbook opens up many avenues to hotels: for example, it could facilitate instant check-in via a simple scan of a bar code on the phone screen, or it could be used for loyalty card schemes like Hilton HHonors. W Hotels by Starwood remains the only early adopter of the system, but other brands will surely follow before long.

Lightning

By introducing the ‘Lightning’ connector port, an 8-pin, all-digital system that still operates with the USB 2.0 specification, Apple seems to be bidding farewell to the trusty 30-pin connector that has served its devices so well over the years. The new, reversible cable makes all accessories using the old connector redundant, although an adapter is available. The price? A princely $30 for a stub, and $40 for a short cable. This sum is difficult for a normal consumer to stomach, let alone unfortunate hotel managers (such as Michael Mueller of Dallas-based hotel chain NYLO Hotels LLC) who have invested heavily in furnishing rooms with Apple-compatible alarm clocks and speaker docks.

Maps

Finally, Apple’s decision to replace Google Maps on the iPhone with its own proprietary service might provoke hospitality organisations to refresh their online profile. Abby Heft instructs companies that it’s ‘time to pay attention to Yelp’ and ensure that their business listings are immaculate so that they will show up in the relevant situations. Generally, this correlates with the trend of hotels becoming more aware of the importance of their online reputation, although it is difficult to anticipate how well Apple’s own maps application will fare in the long run against the efficient, established Google alternative.

In conclusion, as an industry leader, advertising master and the most valuable public company of all time, Apple has the ability to set the tempo of technological developments in its field, and subsequently possesses serious importance in several different industries, including hospitality. The aforementioned four aspects will particularly affect hoteliers and they should certainly be given due consideration.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -