by Administrator
27. May 2010 21:28
A new application has been created to allow business travellers to completely by-pass check-in desks and get immediate access to their hotel rooms.
The new app can be downloaded to a smartphone and then the hotel user receives a unique encrypted audio code that enables them to enter their rooms.
The technology is already being used on a trial basis in Australia for airline hotels, such as Virgin Blue, Jetstar and Qantas. A US hotel chain, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), has also expressed interest in the technology and has announced it will be testing the product within the next month.
Bryson Koehler, IHG executive, said, "The proliferation of smartphones is growing in such a way that we have to look at what people are already bringing with them to make their stay more enjoyable."
The trial will last 60-90 days and take place in the Holiday Inn Chicago O' Hare Rosemont and the Holiday Inn Express Houston Downtown Convention Centre.
In the long term the technology could mean that hotel chains no longer need as many staff, as they will be able to operate using virtual software. This would then prove to be extremely cost-effective for the chain.
At present the app only works with smartphones but there are plans to release it on all mobile devices to make the check-in process a lot smoother.
The benefits of the technology mean that business travel can become a lot less stressful and that hotels can make a large saving by upgrading to the new technology.
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