Hotels Turn to AI as Labour Shortage Persists

Hotels Turn to AI as Labour Shortage Persists

By Author

Published on August 24, 2023

Even as hotels are set to offer more wages, flexibility in work hours, and other perks, the struggle to find and fill vacancies for various positions still persists post-pandemic. Such unprecedented shortages even after offering benefits have been leading the industry to turn to AI to overcome their staff shortcomings. 

The industry also faces restrictions regarding the hiring of competent staff, which include education, immigration laws, increasing staff housing needs, and even a lack of trained professionals. This is where the all-knowing AI can come to help out. 

While human interaction can not be completely wiped out in such an industry, the comfortable pairing of both AI and humans can lead to efficient and cross-functional departments and services. According to IHG Hotels & Resorts CEO Keith Barr, "AI can enable our colleagues to have more time to provide better services to customers”. AI can be used to provide and simplify many processes in hotels, such as hiring, synthesizing consumer feedback, revenue management and tabulation, inventory and even advertising. 

AI-enhanced smart room technology can provide visitors a more convenient and pleasant stay. Additionally, AI can be used to improve pricing and inventory decisions, estimate demand and make changes in room availability accordingly, monitor and predict maintenance requirements in hotel rooms, enhance energy efficiency, and overall help in lowering the expenses associated with managing and maintaining the hotel.These are only a few of the vast capabilities of AI in the industry. 

AI can help in solving two of the most significant problems of the industry; finding out what the consumer wants and understanding how to better consumer experience. With the availability of big data, it has become possible for hotel management to understand what is missing in their approach toward their consumers and change their strategy accordingly. AI can also allow hotel employees to offer detailed and customized itineraries to travellers, something that requires veteran staff who are very familiar with the place. Keeping all these points in mind, AI can help in understanding and better serving the target consumer more effectively.

It is important to understand that human staff can not be completely substituted with AI, no matter how advanced it becomes. There are some things that AI simply can not do, as human interaction is the foundation stone of the industry. Many guests still prefer to be greeted by human faces. 

Hotels that invest in AI and use it successfully will be able to see significant changes and benefits, including increased consumer happiness, increased productivity among staff, and staying one step ahead of their competitors. 


Superplum Launches InstaTrace™ to Bring Full Transparency to India’s Fruit Supply Chain

Superplum Launches InstaTrace™ to Bring Full Transparency to India’s Fruit Supply Chain

By Hariharan U

Published on April 10, 2026

Superplum has introduced InstaTrace™, a first-of-its-kind digital intelligence system designed to bring complete transparency to India’s fruit supply chain.

With InstaTrace™, every pack of Superplum fruit carries a unique QR code that allows consumers to instantly access detailed, batch-specific information, without the need for an app or login. From the farm of origin to safety testing and logistics, the system offers a comprehensive, verifiable view of the fruit’s journey.

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At a time when consumer trust in fresh produce largely depends on labels and claims, InstaTrace™ replaces assumption with data. A single scan reveals the fruit’s origin, the farmer who cultivated it, lab-tested safety reports, and the complete supply chain journey.

One of the key highlights of the system is its focus on pesticide safety. Each batch undergoes testing at NABL-accredited laboratories, with actual reports directly accessible through the QR scan. This ensures that consumers are not relying on marketing claims but are instead viewing certified results.

InstaTrace™ also introduces a human element by identifying the farmers behind the produce. Each report includes the grower’s name, photograph, experience, and harvesting details, creating a direct connection between consumers and producers. In select cases, users can even support farmers through additional incentives.

The platform further enhances traceability with GPS-mapped farm locations, offering precise insights into where the fruit was grown. For premium and region-specific varieties, this provides verified proof of origin, adding credibility to quality claims.

Beyond sourcing, the system tracks the fruit’s journey across the supply chain. From harvesting and sorting to transportation conditions such as temperature and humidity, every stage is documented. Hygiene checks across facilities and handling points are also verified, ensuring quality at each step.

Adding a sustainability dimension, InstaTrace™ includes carbon footprint data for each batch, giving consumers visibility into the environmental impact of their purchase, an uncommon feature in the fresh produce category.

Powered by Superplum’s proprietary FreshManager™ platform, the system is the result of years of in-house research and development aimed at digitising and streamlining India’s complex fresh produce ecosystem. Unlike global traceability solutions that offer partial insights, InstaTrace™ combines multiple layers of information into a single, consumer-facing interface.

The launch reflects Superplum’s broader vision of making fruit safety visible and verifiable at scale. Supported by a modern infrastructure that includes cold-chain logistics, automated ripening facilities, and direct farmer partnerships, the company is working to redefine how fresh produce is sourced and consumed in India.

With InstaTrace™, Superplum is not just introducing a feature, it is setting a new benchmark for transparency in the fresh food industry


Hotels Migrate from RFID to BLE door Locks to Stay Relevant

Hotels Migrate from RFID to BLE door Locks to Stay Relevant

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on April 2, 2026

The hospitality industry is entering a new phase where legacy technologies are being left behind. With support for older systems like magstripe and traditional RFID locks gradually coming to an end, hotels are now faced with a clear decision to upgrade.

What was once considered modern is now becoming outdated.

RFID locks, while reliable in the past, no longer meet the expectations of today’s mobile first guests. Key cards are easily lost, duplicated, or demagnetized, and maintaining these systems is becoming increasingly difficult as industry support declines.

In contrast, Bluetooth Low Energy locks [BLE] are built for the way guests travel today.

With BLE, smartphones become secure digital keys. Guests can check in before arrival, skip the front desk, and access their rooms instantly. The experience becomes seamless, fast, and completely contactless.

Security is also significantly enhanced. BLE locks use advanced technologies like AES 128 encryption and mutual authentication, making them far more secure than traditional key based systems. Hotels gain the ability to issue and revoke access remotely, monitor usage, and maintain full control in real time.

Global leaders such as Onity, Dormakaba, SALTO and ASSA ABLOY VingCard are already driving this shift, making BLE locks the new benchmark for modern hotels.

However, upgrading to BLE locks is only part of the transformation. To truly deliver a connected and seamless guest journey, hotels need a platform that brings access, services, and operations together.

This is where products like GuestEzee are playing a key role globally.

GuestEzee is a comprehensive guest management platform designed for the digital era of hospitality. It enables guests to complete check in before arrival, use their mobile phones as room keys through BLE integration, and access all hotel services through a single app. From in room dining to service requests, everything becomes faster, simpler, and more intuitive.

For hotels, GuestEzee integrates with multiple PMS systems, door lock technologies, and F and B POS platforms. This flexibility allows it to work across all types of properties, from independent hotels to large chains and serviced accommodations. It reduces operational dependency on the front desk while enhancing guest satisfaction and efficiency.

With solutions like GuestEzee now available worldwide, the adoption of BLE locks has become easier, more scalable, and more practical for hotels of all sizes.

The shift from RFID to BLE is no longer optional. It is a necessary step toward building smarter, safer, and more connected hotels.

Because in today’s hospitality landscape, the experience begins at the door, and the future opens with BLE.


Palaniappa Electronics Launches Hepi TV for Smarter Hotel Rooms

By Hariharan U

Published on March 28, 2026

In today’s hospitality landscape, guest experience goes far beyond comfort, it directly impacts reviews, repeat stays, and overall revenue. Addressing this shift, Palaniappa Electronics has introduced Hepi TV, a smart in-room hospitality solution that transforms the traditional guest room television into a powerful, revenue-generating platform designed exclusively for hotels.

Powered by the Palaniappa’s Hepi TV Box, the system replaces passive television viewing with an intuitive home screen built around four smart components that focus on convenience, upselling, and operational efficiency.

One of the standout features is interactive restaurant ordering directly from the TV. Hotels can upload their restaurant menus with visually rich video backdrops for each dish, along with pricing. Guests can browse, select items, choose quantities, and confirm orders using the remote. Once placed, the order is instantly shared via WhatsApp with the kitchen team, room service staff, and management, allowing faster processing and billing without any phone calls. This seamless experience encourages impulse ordering and helps increase F&B revenue.

Hepi TV also simplifies room service requests through one-click options available on the screen. Services such as requesting towels, toiletries, laundry pickup, or spa bookings can be placed instantly. Each request is sent via WhatsApp to the relevant department with the room number, enabling quicker response times. The system also generates service usage reports, helping hotel teams understand guest demand patterns and improve planning.

 Another key feature is cab and tour booking through the TV interface. Guests can request transport or tours directly from their rooms, triggering alerts to both the hotel and partnered operators. This adds convenience for guests while opening up commission-based revenue opportunities for hotels.

 On the entertainment front, the Hepi TV Premium Package offers access to all paid HD channels across languages, removing the limitation of single regional DTH packs. Popular OTT platforms are available on the same interface, with complete privacy protection as guest login details are automatically erased at checkout. Adding a personal touch, the guest’s name is displayed on the TV screen from check-in to checkout, creating a warm and premium welcome.

Hotels can further use the platform as a marketing tool by uploading up to six branded 4K videos to promote services, offers, or facilities, turning every TV into an in-room communication channel.

All these features are available at ₹400 plus GST per TV per month, with no capital investment required, as the Hepi TV box is provided free of cost. For hotel owners and general managers, Hepi TV positions itself not as an expense, but as a smart investment that enhances guest experience, improves operational control, and generates additional revenue.

Palaniappa Electronics continues to strengthen its standing as a trusted partner for hospitality electronics, known for reliable quality, timely delivery, and dedicated support. Trusted by multiple hotel brands, the company remains a preferred name in the hospitality industry for innovative products and dependable service.

For more details, contact Palaniappa Electronics | Mr. Muthu at 9003045685 or muthu@palaniappagroup.com.

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