Fourth Article

With all the wireless technology; such as RFID or wireless internet sometimes the need for a strong reliable cable is over looked. When it all comes down to it wireless is still run off of a wire at some point.

The U.S. economy now has to shift from the Baby Boomers to the Gen X consumers that represent a 40 percent decrease in spenders. The upcoming Gen X consumer now spends more per trip than the Baby Boomers, even though the latter has more money. Travel spending by the Gen Xers has increased by 66 percent over the last five years versus 25 percent for the Boomers. Gen Xers are less brand loyal but more likely to pay for lifestyle extras. About 13 percent of U.S. homes have incomes over $100,000. These homes spend $3,649 per year on travel, 143 percent more than the national average. Gen X travelers are the best educated and most tech-savvy generation in history.

This brief discussion has only scratched the surface of just two forms of services and applications the Gen Xer will demand. These guests will want to leverage the use of their mobile devices while on site. They will be preparing for their visit via the Web before they arrive, expecting certain amenities to be waiting for them. They will want specific advertising vehicles designed almost exclusively just for them, and will throw out all of the other spam. They will want instantaneous relief for any shortcoming they might experience. They will want to bring their children and have one hotel suite entertain them all. Their travel will be more a mix of leisure and business. They will want to impose their technology into the guestroom.


In the next decade, the ratio of business to leisure traveler will lean more heavily toward leisure. However, unlike in the past, it will be the leisure traveler that will put more burden on hotel technology. This new traveler will spend more on travel, more on lifestyle extras. Globally, it is entertainment that is the 800-pound gorilla when it comes to revenues from this type of spending. Entertainment will continue to be the biggest revenue source in the future. The Gen Xer is going to spend money on content and media somewhere in his travels; the smart hotelier will enable that guest to spend it in their hotel.

I find it interesting that in the next decade it is predicted that the ratio of business to leisure travelers will lean definatley towards the leisure travel. Working in the hotel industry I notice that the occupancy is considerably higher durring the week when business travelers are staying at my hotel. It could be the market of downtown Wilmington that produces those numbers. I agree that when you are looking at a technology for your hotel you need to take into account the longevity of the technology. Also you want to be the "leading edge" as opposed to the "bleeding edge" of new technological trends in the industry.