IT is a competitive advantage in the business traveller sector of the hospitality industry where technology is expected to equal that of an office environment.
Rydges Lakeside hotel in Canberra has just implemented an Intrigue Digital Services Delivery System, from Entertainment Media Telecoms Corporation Limited (EMT), which includes digital video on demand and high-speed Internet access.
According to Rydges Hotels NSW area general manager Brett Wilson, business customers have come to expect this level of access to technology.
Wilson said there has been a real shift in the industry and he is aware of a number of hotels moving in this direction.
The Lakeside deployment is part of an ongoing contract agreement between EMT and Rydges parent Amalgamated Holdings Limited (AHL) forged in 2002, and follows successful pilots at the Rydges Parramatta (NSW) last year.
Rydges North Sydney is also using the system with additional services to provide conference facilities.
Ongoing planning and scheduling for the rollout of the remaining owned and managed Rydges hotels is being finalised for the 2004 calendar year.
Hotel Motel Accommodation Australia (HMAA) CEO Dennis Winchester agrees high-speed Internet access has become the norm and in the next few years will be as important as a colour TV in every room. There are plenty of technology upgrades occurring across the industry particularly in CBD environments, he said.