Robotics and AI the next frontier in hospitality

With tourism being one of the fastest growing industries in the world, the demand for workforce in the hospitality sector is also rapidly increasing. As technology advances rapidly with new emerging trends, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) will replace the human workforce in the hospitality sector in the future, according to Manesh Fernando, General Manager of Hilton Colombo.

Mr. Fernando made this comment to the Business Times on the sidelines of the ‘Colombo Youth Forum 2017’ held last week at the Hilton Colombo. The event was organised by the Hilton hotel management to educate up and coming youth from schools on a wide range of opportunities available in the industry for those who are interested to be part of Sri Lanka’s hospitality sector. It was the fourth consecutive youth forum and over 350 school students from Colombo and the suburbs were present.

Over the past years Hilton has witnessed many young talented students joining the hospitality industry in Sri Lanka as well as foreign hotel chains, added Mr. Fernando. “At this year’s forum, when the students were asked, how the hospitality industry in Sri Lanka would look like by 2020 and beyond, the students without any doubt mentioned that robotics and artificial intelligence will replace humans by 2020,” he said.

Sri Lanka’s tourism can be improved a lot, stressed Mr. Fernando while elaborating that there are two types of tourists that visit Sri Lanka; tourists who like to spend time only in Colombo and tourists who like to explore the areas outside Colombo. Catering to the needs and wants of these tourists, the country as a whole can focus on selling raw products, develop the café culture, night life, spas and so on.

Mr. Fernando also mentioned that six new brand new Hilton Hotels will be managed in Negombo, Katunayake, Kandy, Kosgoda, Nuwara Eliya and Yala by 2019. “Hilton in Sri Lanka has employed over 5000 youth during the last four years and we are targeting to reach 10,000 by 2019,” he noted.

According to the media release, Careers@Hilton week events are a unique opportunity for Hilton to inspire job seekers about careers in the hospitality industry and to support them by providing guidance on the skills that are vital to succeed in the workplace and beyond. Participants join Hilton for events ranging from résumé clinics to networking as well as presentations from current employees about their career paths in hospitality.