Tag: robotics

Staff at Hotel Sky in Johannesburg’s wealthy Sandton district adhere to strict COVID-19 protocols, wearing masks and physically distancing from guests as much as possible; all, that is, except Lexi, Micah and Ariel. For the three concierges couldn’t breathe germs on you even if they wanted to: they’re robots. Robot hospitality is not new – Japanese hotels have been deploying them for years and in 2015 Tokyo’s Henn’na, or ‘Strange’, hotel became the first to be fully staffed by machines. Several robot-staffed Tokyo hotels are now using them to serve guests with mild COVID-19 symptoms. But Hotel Sky, which launched ... Read more

ENTER2019, the leading eTourism conference organised annually by the International Federation for IT and Travel & Tourism (IFITT), was held this year in sunny Nicosia, Cyprus on 29 January – 1 February. One of the key themes at this year’s ENTER were artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. Renowned for its topical debates, inspiring keynotes, and highly practical workshops, ENTER has brought together leading academics and industry professionals in travel and technology since 1994. Over the years the conference has firmly established its place as a platform showcasing cutting-edge research in eTourism and shedding light on current developments as well as future ... Read more