Bali Technology Conference 2014 explores Indonesia’s hospitality sector

In spite of attracting 8.8 million international tourists in 2013, Indonesia has the lowest tourism rating in the region – 17th in Asia and 70th worldwide. As more hotels and resorts start to integrate social media and mobile technology into their operations, what untapped opportunities lie in Indonesia’s hospitality sector? Taking that as the keynote, the Bali Technology Conference, Indonesia 2014 brought together professionals from the hospitality industry to discuss technology trends and potential business opportunities.

Jeffrey Bahar, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, was amongst the prestigious list of speakers at the Bali Technology Conference 2014 held in Bali, Indonesia. In his presentation, Bahar emphasized the vital importance of hotels integrating mobile technology and social media to reach out to tech-savvy tourists who are increasingly making decisions using online content.

He opined that the rise in domestic trips and increased spending were clear factors that indicated a stronger middle class. Although 2013 saw an increase in the number of hotels in the country, occupancy rates fell by an average of 50%.

2013 also saw a rise in hospitality-related e-commerce and online marketing activities. According to a study, 89% of hotels surveyed use social media to publicise events or promotions. Bahar remarked that even small, independent hotels could exploit such opportunities by cleverly choosing what advantages and brand values to communicate.

Bahar commented that the Indonesian hospitality sector needs to play a more active role online and focus on domestic guest interaction. Most hotels overlook social media platforms, as they feel that they already have enough bookings and/or their target audience are not active on social media. It is crucial that hotels have tracking software to follow up on potential sales leads as well.

Jeffrey Bahar’s presentation deck on “Technology and social integration in Indonesia’s hospitality sector” can be found here.

https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/events/bali-technology-conference-2014-explores-indonesias-hospitality-sector/