Innovations, a start-up area, a design thinking workshop… the 2024 edition of the EquipHotel trade show is taking a close look at the contributions of AI to the daily work of hoteliers and restaurateurs. Gadget or powerful tool? Additional assistance or a replacement for a job? Explanations, solutions, and initial avenues for reflection.
The figures speak for themselves. In France:
- 66% of business leaders recognize the impact of artificial intelligence (AI),
- 64% favour recruiting already trained workers and
- 57% are considering raising wages AI-skilled employees.
These results come from a study by the Adecco Group, published in April 2024. A driver of transformation across multiple sectors, AI is also finding its place in the hotel and restaurant industry. And not just in the form of a robot that carries, transports, or brings a glass or a dish. It enables innovative solutions to optimize back-office management and enhance the customer experience. Examples include intelligent booking systems—capable of anticipating fluctuations in demand—virtual concierge services, intelligent room management systems—where AI takes control of equipment to personalize it according to guest expectations—not to mention eco-friendly solutions for managing waste and reducing energy consumption. All of these add-value solutions help attract and retain customers, as well as motivate and energize teams. This will provide ample material for numerous conferences, debates, meetings, and demonstrations at EquipHotel Paris 2024. A dedicated startup area (Hall 7.3 at Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles) will showcase innovative solutions and products in the digital sectors. The program will feature advice, services, and turnkey solutions to help hospitality professionals maximize their online distribution and improve their financial, commercial, logistical, and human resources management. Also not to be missed are the Innovation Awards (November 5, 2024, on the Main Stage of Hall 7.3), which will recognize the most daring initiatives in five sectors, including technology for the hospitality industry.
Brain trust and design thinking to better invent tomorrow
The topic is generating interest, even passion. So much so that discussions on AI and hospitality began well before the Porte de Versailles trade show. " Is the arrival of AI a source of productivity gains in day-to-day management? " This was the question posed by participants in the "hospitality brain-trust," organized by EquipHotel and the consulting firm MKG Consulting, starting in early 2024. This design thinking workshop brought together hoteliers, entrepreneurs, and EquipHotel partners to exchange and share their ideas and experiences with technology and AI. The outcome of the discussions: participants shared their experiences with hotel technology in their daily operations. They highlighted the importance of user comfort , the security of collected data , the desire to increase employee productivity to free up valuable time for customers , connectivity with other tools within a comprehensive ecosystem , and measuring return on investment and training employees to ensure their adoption and understanding of the systems . Furthermore, three challenges focused the brain trust's work, aiming for a near-ideal situation: the cost-effectiveness of the investment, the user-friendliness of the tools—which includes employee training—and the importance of connectivity between disparate components. Details of all these areas of focus will be presented during the EquipHotel trade show. This valuable information will help businesses embrace AI, adapt their tools, evolve their management practices, and improve performance.
Bryan's Life
In the spring of 2024, the Kimpton St Honoré hotel in Paris (5nd arrondissement ) adopted Bryan. This hybrid, multilingual, AI-controlled robot joined the hotel's Californian-inspired restaurant to assist its staff. Its mission: to provide extra support for service and clearing tables. This is no surprise, as Bryan can carry up to 35 kilos. This is ideal for allowing the teams to " refocus on the human and relational aspects of our work ," explains Laëtitia Elmaleh . The General Manager of the Kimpton St Honoré Paris adds: " It's not about replacing employees, but about using technology to assist them and improve their well-being at work. " Finally, Bryan's salary is donated to the Un Avenir Ensemble Foundation, which supports young people in their personal, academic, and professional development.
With kind permission from the Journal de l'Hôtellerie