WATCHWith the
THIS
UPDATES
THE BRAINS BEHIND STARWOOD ’ S NEW STARLAB
12
ACCOR ’ S PUSH FOR ‘ FOOD-FIES ’ 14
BIG SAVINGS WITH SOLAR PANELS 14
PREFERRED NARROWS ITS FOCUS 16
CAMBODIA ’ S ACCIDENTAL HOTELIER 18
THE DISRUPTORS 20
launch of the iWatch , wearables are becoming a bigger part of the mobile marketing story .
by JEFF WEINSTEIN , EDITOR IN CHIEF
Wearables are the new digital rage now that Apple has launched the iWatch . If they are a hit with consumers , wearables such as watches will allow the likes of Starwood , Hilton , Marriott , IHG and Accor to learn even more about their customers and customize offers while guests are on property .
Almost as if reading from the same cue card , all the giants launching watch apps say initially , wearables are about adding value to the guest experience and , in turn , securing guest loyalty . Since they seem to be in lockstep with their public stances , HOTELS asked the industry giants that launched watch apps similar questions to get a clue about where the latest mobile phenomenon is heading . What potential impact will wearables have on the hotel business ? Romain Rolleau , senior vice president of e-commerce , Accor : The watch is always on your wrist , and services we bring to this app have to ease the customer ’ s approach to booking , journey and stay . We are going to collect data to develop a better
10 HOTELS May 2015 www . hotelsmag . com