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/

Comments

Side Click: Are you under the surveillance camera?

Identifying VIPs with strong purchasing power is crucial to retail success. More often than not, retail staff fail to do this in time. Facial recognition technology can help prevent this. But does it put our privacy at risk? With high-spending customers making out-sized contributions to retail profitability, it is increasingly crucial for retailers to provide personalized customer service the minute a VIP customer sets foot in the store. For instance, Katie Holmes reportedly spent USD100,000 on a fashion makeover and USD14,200 on lingerie alone in 2012! This is where identification technology can play a role. NEC, a Japan-based ICT vendor, has developed an identification application based on a facial recognition system – comparing the individual’s facial features against its database, and sending prompts when a match is identified. The initial purpose of the application was to help identify terrorists and criminals , but it was subsequently adapted to the retail setting....

Congestion stops traffic in SEA’s megacities

44 million people are being added to Southeast Asia’s urban population each year. As motor vehicle populations keep doubling every 5 to 7 years, what measures are being taken to tackle traffic congestion? Japnit Singh, Senior Director, Singapore and India of Spire Research and Consulting shared his insights in China Daily – Asia Weekly. Southeast Asia’s middle-class continues to boom, fuelling car population increases despite the relative lack of infrastructure. According to the Asian Development Bank, the region’s major cities suffer from some of the highest air pollution levels globally – as much as 80 per cent being attributable to road transport. Singh cautioned that building roads is not a solution, as this region faces severe practical limitations and escalating costs due to shortage of land in urban areas. In Bangkok for example, roads have the capacity for two million motor vehicles whereas five million ply the city’s roads each day. This has led to the military g...

As Sri Lanka’s population ages, the insurance market booms

As Sri Lanka experiences demographic shifts – by 2021, 16.7% of the population could be aged 60 or above – the life insurance market is booming. The nation’s average economic growth stands at a brisk 6.2% since the end of the bitter civil war in 2009, with services and manufacturing leading the way. As Sri Lankans live longer, demand is surging for insurance products such as endowment and pension policies, with retirement planning taking a front seat. Will insurance continue to be one of Sri Lanka’s sunrise industries? For further information, click here.

The Earthquake in Nepal jolts the economy

Nepal – one of the poorest countries in the world – had a rude awakening when a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck on 25 April 2015. The impact was tragic. Casualties continue to rise, with immense damage to infrastructure. Will the nation be able to pick up the shattered pieces of its economy? Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting shared his insights in China Daily – Asia Weekly. With the estimated cost of rehabilitation set to hit USD5 billion – a quarter of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of USD20 billion in 2014 – the economic impact of the earthquake is massive. According to United Nation’s data, 8 million people are directly in the line of fire. Both agriculture – with well over 70% of the population employed in this sector – and tourism have been badly afflicted. Perera opined that the disaster will also impact the nation’s ability to grow and transport fresh food – the agricultural sector alone accounts for 38% of GDP. Moreover, ...

Is a Korean peace treaty on the cards?

The historical and unprecedented meeting between the two leaders of Korea is a monumental development. Can both leaders use this opportunity enhance geo-political stability and open up new economic development possibilities? Leon Perera, CEO of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his thoughts in The Business Times – Views from the Top section on 7 May 2018. Marking a remarkable change, the unprecedented meeting between the leaders of the two Koreas underlines the possibility of a peace treaty and denuclearization agreement. However, Perera expressed scepticism about North Korea’s commitment to completely renounce nuclear strike capability against Japan and South Korea, since this is the only factor ensuring regime survival. World leaders need to take this chance to limit the North’s nuclear capability while accepting that it may never be completely voided, bring the North into the global framework and work towards economic development on the Korean peninsula. Read...

The Knowledge to Decide

Search This Blog