Internet of Things (IoT)

The most visible way IoT (Internet of Things) is being applied in travel is via the modern Smart Room. In the past, a hotel room was a fixed physical asset. Today, it is a localized data ecosystem.

• Personalization: When a guest checks in via smartphone (acting as an IoT mobile key), the room’s sensors detect the unlocking of the door. The room automatically opens the blinds, turns on the TV to a personal welcome screen, and adjusts the thermostat to the guest’s pre-saved preference.
• Energy Management: When the guest exits the room, the motion and thermal sensors detect the vacancy. The IoT system automatically dials back the HVAC system and turns off lights, saving the property massive amounts of money on utility costs.

Behind the scenes, Internet of Things (IoT) is disrupting the way travel companies service their costly physical assets (aircraft, cruise ships, and hotel buildings).

Instead of waiting for an air conditioning unit or aircraft part to fail, engineers install IoT sensors that continuously monitor vibration, temperature, and performance.

If a sensor on a hotel’s industrial water heater detects an abnormal pressure drop, it automatically sends an alert via an API to the maintenance team’s dashboard before the industrial water heater actually breaks and ruins a guest’s shower. This is known as predictive maintenance.

Internet of Things is also used to solve the friction of having to go through massive travel hubs like airports and cruise ships.

Through the use of strategically placed Bluetooth beacons, an airport app can ping a traveler’s smartphone to give them precise, indoor turn-by-turn navigation (where GPS signals often fail). Similarly, cruise lines have IoT wearables (such as the Princess Medallion) that are in constant communication with sensors hidden in the ship’s ceilings. This means that the crew can go to any part of the vessel to find a passenger and deliver his or her cocktail to their deck chair.