The Urgency Of Smart Tech In Hospitality

A man experiences a medical emergency, activates his car’s autopilot, and it navigates him safely to a hospital. A woman’s smartwatch detects an irregular heartbeat, sends her an alert urging her to seek medical attention, diagnosing her with a life-threatening arrhythmia that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.  An elderly man lost in the wilderness is found by a drone after three days of futile searching. Two hikers stranded on Table Mountain are saved thanks to location-sharing technology and an EMS helicopter. These aren’t movie scenes; they’re real-life examples of how technology is no longer just an enhancement—it’s a lifeline.

Yet, in the hospitality industry, many businesses are still stuck at the check-in desk. Nostalgia for the ‘good old days’ won’t pay the bills or meet modern guest expectations.

“Hotels that fail to adopt smart technology are effectively handing their competitors the advantage,” says David Swanepoel, head of sales at Ankerdata.

“Efficiency, sustainability, and guest experience are all tech-driven now.”

It’s not just about convenience – it’s about responsibility. The hospitality sector has a significant environmental footprint, but green tech solutions exist to curb it. Cloud-based hotel management systems cut paper waste and slash energy use by replacing power-hungry on-premises servers. Smart systems optimise water consumption, like the towel reuse programmes that save millions of litres annually. Predictive analytics help kitchens manage inventory better, cutting food waste. Hotels can implement advanced Energy Management Systems (EMS) that monitor and control energy usage in real-time. These systems can automatically adjust heating, ventilation, and air conditioning settings based on occupancy levels and weather conditions. The technology exists; the real question is – why isn’t everyone using it?

“Going digital is no longer just an option—it’s an expectation,” Swanepoel adds. “Guests want to see sustainability efforts, and technology makes those efforts visible and measurable.”

Today’s travellers are increasingly eco-conscious and seek out accommodations that show commitment to green practices.

The adoption of technology is advancing, albeit at different rates across various sectors. We may have hotels with fancy AI-driven robots that retrieve forgotten items from storage and deliver these to the guest’s room in a heartbeat; nevertheless, the overall rate of technology integration, including cloud services, remains inconsistent within the industry.

Although exact statistics for cloud technology adoption in South African hotels are not available, the general trend towards increased cloud usage across multiple sectors indicates a growing acknowledgment of its advantages.

As the hospitality industry continues to modernise, a broader implementation of cloud solutions is expected, aiming to enhance operational efficiency and improve guest experiences. By leveraging cloud-based systems, hotels can streamline their processes, reduce costs, and provide personalised services to cater for the evolving needs of the modern traveller.

AI and machine learning aren’t just for Silicon Valley – they’re also revolutionising the hospitality industry. These technologies automate front desk operations, personalise guest experiences, and streamline decision-making. Cloud-based solutions like Protel offer scalability, allowing hotels to adjust to demand in real time without major capital investments.

The benefits are clear, but resistance remains due to implementation cost concerns, fear of change, developing training programmes, integration challenges and security and privacy concerns. These concerns can be easily addressed through careful planning, communication, and a demonstration of the long-term benefits.

“There’s this myth that adopting new tech is expensive and disruptive,” says Swanepoel. “But clinging to outdated systems is what’s truly costly. Falling behind now means struggling to stay relevant five years down the line.” 

Collaboration wins

Gone are the days of single-vendor, one-size-fits-all solutions. Modern, successful businesses now build flexible tech stacks that integrate seamlessly across various platforms rather than relying on a single provider. This flexibility reduces risk, enhances adaptability, and allows hotels to pivot quickly when superior solutions emerge, ensuring they stay ahead of the curve in a competitive and evolving industry.

“We’re seeing a shift from monolithic systems to modular, adaptable tech solutions,” Swanepoel explains. “The smartest operators aren’t looking for a silver bullet; they’re looking for a tech ecosystem that can evolve with them.”

The message is clear: technology isn’t the future – it’s the present. Failing to evolve is a choice, but it’s one that will leave businesses struggling to compete in an industry where guest expectations, sustainability standards, and operational efficiency are all being reshaped by digital transformation.