Maybe hotels should focus first on the basics, like getting on the cloud and ditching cable TV. But having fun products like robots is, at the very least, good for marketing.
Face-to-face meetings and events are returning, but many of the employees who worked in the hospitality industry in 2020 are not around to greet them. Droves who have worked in travel, tourism, hospitality, and events have moved on to other workforce sectors.
Are there really enough people who want to remote-control a robot and visit places virtually? We're skeptical. But the founder of the startup Propelmee is surprisingly persuasive at the potential uses for such robots.
Forget animatronic robots. But software that replaces repetitive tasks that white-collar workers do in back-offices, tracking devices that can alert when hand sanitizers are empty, and mobility scooters that drive themselves are some of the examples of automation that may be worthwhile.
Sanitizing robots. Amazon's touchless checkouts for airport stores. Contactless dining. Airports had already been embracing automation, but the crisis may accelerate the pace of change.