Increased efficiency, lower cost, satisfied guests. Those are just some of the benefits Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) President Clifton Reader has seen from digitisation.

And, he’s convinced the COVID-19-induced changes to the local industry are here to stay.

“COVID-19 has pushed almost everybody to a digital world. Some of the things that we wanted to do, we are now doing. The way that we check in guests is basically paperless now. That’s a great cost savings for hotels,” he told the Jamaica Observer. “I don’t think that some hotels will go back to printing menus, which is expensive. They can just use a QR [quick response] code and that menu is on the guest’s phone.”

He said the increased use of apps has made for a more seamless and efficient experience. Guests who choose to do so may select their rooms online after a 360-degree virtual view, book a visit to the spa, and order room service from the convenience of their electronic devices. Reader made it clear that less tech-savvy guests will always be accommodated, but he’s convinced the time has come to take a different view of what service means to the tourism industry.

“We have to redefine what service means. Everybody believes that digitising some sections of service means that you’re not getting that personal touch, but there are some guests who don’t want to go to a front desk anymore. They just want to come in the hotel and go straight to a really nice, clean, room,” he said. “They don’t want to be greeted by a nice host or hostess. They want efficiency, for them that’s what counts — especially for the business hotels.”

Digital transformation that will boost innovation is listed among the top opportunities and priorities for the global tourism industry over the next two years, according to a United Nations World Tourism Organization survey of its members.

— Charmaine N Clarke