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1. Introduction
With the advancements in technology and increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI), technology and other tools, many service providers have launched smart services that have become quite common across various industries, including hospitality and tourism services (Wuenderlich et al., 2015). If someone books a hotel room in the not-too-distant future, her experience might well differ completely from that of today’s hotel guests. AI agents use data mining and intuitive computing to help her choose a hotel that is right for her. The hotel room door opens automatically because it is equipped with a digital camera that used facial recognition technology to identify her. When she enters the hotel, the room is at her preferred temperature already because her mobile phone has forwarded her location and estimated time of arrival to the hotel. A robot butler welcomes her, unpacks her bag and irons her wrinkled shirt. She uses a voice command to open the curtains, turn on lights and switch on the TV to her favorite channel. She notes that the art hanging on the walls actually are digital screens that display works of her favorite French impressionists. When she finally lays her head to rest, the mattress has adjusted its firmness to her body weight and preferences already.
This may sound futuristic and far-fetched to some. However, several hotels and hotel chains have taken the first steps to offer smart hotel rooms to their guests already. For example, Starwood Hotels integrated tablet features into a “smart mirror” in several locations in 2016. Visitors to the Peninsula Chicago use tablets to personalize their stay. Marriott guests use an app that suggests a personalized itinerary during their stay. Similarly, Hilton is testing a “smart room” connected to a computer system and plans to introduce it in the near future. The Yotel in New York has a “Yobot” that handles and stores customers’ luggage. The “Botlr” is a service robot in the Aloft Cupertino in California that delivers towels to you at the pool, and snacks and toiletries to your room. While smart services are increasingly used in hotel industry, there are some other industries adopting technology and smart services as well. For example, destinations, such as Singapore and the island of Malta, use smart...