Following successful pilot programs in North America, Europe and Asia, Accor is rolling out a new digital key solution to provide a contactless guest journey in its hotels.
Named “Accor Key,” the solution will provide customers with a keyless door entry solution, which customers will access via Accor’s digital key app. This will give them access to rooms, entry to meeting rooms and floor access via lifts using their smartphone.
Floor Bleeker, chief information officer at Accor, said: “We always strive to adopt technology which can improve the overall guest experience. Guests increasingly seek contact-light travel and hotel experiences. Therefore, the easy to operate and highly practical application will provide a streamlined process for our guests.”
The solution also has the advantage of reducing the amount of plastic used for traditional key cards and cardboard by providing customers access to their rooms without a physical key.
Accor is working with digital solution company StayMyWay to deliver the program.
"We are honored to be working with such an innovative company at such a critical time in our industry," said Faustino Fernandez, StayMyWay founder and CEO. "A recent Deloitte study shows that 60 percent of travelers are more likely to stay at a hotel that allowed contactless check in and the ability to use a smartphone as a room key—16 percent even say it’s a 'must have.' The demand is even higher for frequent travelers."
The rollout will start in all new Accor hotels opening in 2021 and extend to existing properties with an objective to equip 500 hotels with Accor Key this year, and at least 50 percent of all rooms across the network within the next five years.
Contactless service has been hailed as a major hospitality trend to be accelerated by COVID-safe requirements from the early days of the crisis. Other global brands such as Wyndham and NH Hotels have also implemented their versions of the solutions.
This story originally appeared on Hotel Management's sister site Hospitality Insights.