Implementation of an IT-services practical standard in hotel and tourism industries

Abstract

Tourism, one of the strongest growing sectors in world’s economy, is not at all oblivious to information and telecommunications technologies advances, not only in their daily internal management. Travellers and visitors from all main sending European countries have a very high degree of technological use and needs, and expect those needs to be almost universally fulfilled in their vacation destinations. This fact has changed the client views of offered services and often makes a difference in the client’s choice. Some known statistics of this behavior are that 38 percent of travellers said Wi-Fi access included in hotel room rates was a must while only 25% said breakfast was essential. On the other hand, 23 percent of guests surveyed said their favourite modern in-room amenity was the use of iPads, and 85% of leisure travellers use their smartphone while abroad. The “5@ Standard Project” comprises the attempt to develop a practical standard classification targeted at the categorization of the touristic facilities considering the technological services they provide. All the information about the introduction level of the Technological Services, including their technical features, will be accessible by potential guests. This standard will include a set of specifications and procedures which will ensure that the products, infrastructures, and Technological Services offered by hotels or other accommodation facilities or touristic-oriented businesses could be reliably translated into a qualitative and a quantitative evaluation system which will result in a number between 1 and 5 in our @s classification.