The Hilton chain of hotels and resorts is investing some serious funds in to bringing its business to mobile.
An industry typically ahead of the curve when it comes to adapting mobile technology, the travel sector is no stranger to the smartphone – but advancements have typically been made by airlines and airports, not purveyors of accommodation.
Hilton is looking to gain an advantage on its rivals by investing $550 million in to improving its mobile ecosystem. You can already check in and out of Hilton-run hotels on your mobile, and Hilton says that from next year onwards guests will be able to use their smartphones to lock and unlock their rooms.
This feature would save guests having to queue for prolonged amounts of time at often packed check-in areas. Hilton expects the service to be available at ‘most’ of its hotels worldwide by the end of 2016.
Hilton is shouldering the majority of the costs for the rollout of the scheme, although it clarified that Hilton-franchised owners would need to make a ‘modest’ investment as well.