Prof. SONG Haiyan, Director of RCDTT, Associate Dean and Chair Professor of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM), and Mr and Mrs Chan Chak Fu Professor in International Tourism, was interviewed by Now News about the use of robotics and AI to address manpower shortages and enhance customer experiences in the hotel industry. “Some people think that the development of AI and robotics may replace certain jobs in the hotel industry, and this is indeed true, “said Prof. Song. “However, the use of robotics and AI also creates opportunities for new and higher-level jobs. As the hotel and tourism industry evolves in the future, many new business operating models and applications of science and technology will emerge.”
Prof. Song Haiyan was also interviewed by i-CABLE News programme “Inno Action” for his insights on the digital transformation of the hospitality and tourism industry. He explained that smart tourism involves leveraging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and big data to optimise the tourism value chain. He also emphasised that these technologies can be applied throughout the entire process before, during and after the trip, in order to enhance the tourist experience and help the industry improve services and marketing through data analytics.
In addition, Prof. Song remarked that Hong Kong’s many technological and geographical advantages are boosting smart tourism development, although there is still room for improvement in terms of policies and the use of robotics in hotels. For instance, over 80% of hotels in mainland China now employ robots for tasks like room service and check-in, while similar applications in Hong Kong are still in the trial phase. He suggested that the government adopt more flexible policies to attract tech firms to Hong Kong and encourage various businesses in the supply chain to work together to drive smart tourism.
