Biometric technology: the future of identity assurance and authentication in the lodging industry.

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to provoke thought and perhaps response to a new form of identity assurance and security in the lodging industry. For a fact, biometric technology is quickly becoming a principal method of identification in today's fast‐paced networked and security‐conscious society. Increasingly, more and more organizations are adopting this form of technology to enhance security, improve business processes and increase productivity. The paper highlights the fundamentals of biometric technology, and its application in the lodging industry. The paper also addresses factors that should be considered to ensure successful deployment in the lodging industry.Design/methodology/approach – This paper reviews the fundamentals of biometric technology at the discursive level and provides insights on its practical applications in the lodging industry.Findings – Biometric technology offers the lodging industry new possibilities in the areas of identity assurance and authentication. These relative...