Hospitality IT: what does the future hold?

The impact of information technology (IT) is far-reaching and driving dramatic shifts in business paradigms. Trends suggest greater adoption of IT will continue and develop at accelerating rates. Hence, hotel operators and executives must learn how to embrace IT and capitalize on the many capabilities it has to offer while minimizing the threats. The authors attempt to provide a sense of focus and a roadmap to help hoteliers understand the issues, see the future, and find an appropriate on ramp to the information superhighway. This article is available in Hospitality Review: http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/hospitalityreview/vol18/iss2/3 Hospitality IT: What does the future hold? by Daniel J. Connolly and Michael D. Olsen The impact of information technology (IT) can be spotted early on as they is far-reaching and driving dramatic shifts ge-nate, sprout, and grow into in business paradigms. Trends suggest greater adoption of IT wrll mntinue and big. develop at accelerating rates. Hence, hotel To help the hospitality indusoperators andexecutives must leam how to try develop foresight, identify the embrace IT and capitalize on the many of change, and precapabilities it has to offer while minimizing the threats. The authors anempt to provide pare for the the Intemaa sense of fows and a roadmap to help tional Hotel and Restaurant hoteliers understand the issues, see the Association (IHR Nice, France Following this advice, however, is (1998); Vienna, Austria (1999); and not as easy as it may sound, espeLausanne, Switzerland (2000). ciaUy when one takes into account Collectively, these sessions worked how quickly things change in the to define the forces shapingchange era of high-tech and the difficuland identify what is in store for the ties associated with trying to industry as the future draws near. escape from the "tyranny of the recent past."' Each day, the seeds Sessions discuss change of change are sown. By using disThe underlying premise of ciplined approaches, these seeds each Think Tank session was to 22 FIU Hospital i ty Review FIU Hospitality Review, Volume 18, Number 2, 2000