Interview with Gerard Pasan, CIO Office Director at Iberostar Group

We took advantage of the Fitur fair to explore the challenges, achievements, and trends that set the course within the tourism sector in the complex recovery scenario.

Gerard Pasan, currently Director of the CIO Office at Iberostar Group, has a solid background in IT within the hotel chain. Gerard has driven innovation and customer experience as fundamental pillars.

During the interview, he reveals the key achievements of the Hotel Digital innovation project, including the successful launch of 10 technological innovations that enhance the customer experience and optimize hotel operations. Looking ahead to 2024, Pasan highlights digitalization and sustainability as central themes, focusing on process efficiency and training in new technologies to overcome staffing challenges. Additionally, he emphasizes Iberostar's commitment to ambitious sustainability goals, marking their leadership in responsible and sustainable tourism.

Xavier López, CEO of EISI SOFT, and Gerard Pasan, CIO Office Director at Iberostar Group

The world is already familiar with your innovative Hotel Digital project. How is it progressing? What significant achievements have you reached in the last year?

Our Hotel Digital project is now in its second year. Annually, we aim to successfully launch between 7 and 10 viable products, leaving the operations team with the task of implementing them in all our hotels. In 2023, we launched 10 products, surpassing our initial goals. Of these, 5 are already being implemented in most of our hotels, and the other 5 are in the testing phase, which will conclude soon. This project has generated great interest and curiosity for its open innovation approach, being the first open innovation project in the tourism sector in Spain.

For example, in the area of energy efficiency, we have implemented an artificial intelligence system that, in tests, has shown a 15% savings in air conditioning. This system not only saves costs but also anticipates the need to replace machinery, estimating savings of 10 to 11%.

Additionally, we have introduced digital maps in our large resorts, especially in the Caribbean, facilitating customer orientation through our app. We have also digitized the stops of the trains that run through the complexes, allowing customers to check in real-time how long it will take for the train to reach their location, a well-received improvement at our Playa Paraíso resort in Riviera Maya (Mexico).

Regarding the reduction of paper usage, we have digitized the signage in the buffets of all our hotels in Spain, and we are in the testing phase in our hotels in America. This represents significant savings in printing costs and increases the flexibility of kitchen staff to make menu changes.

We are testing a capacity control system in buffets and restaurants to address complaints about overcrowding. Using sensors, we provide real-time information about occupancy, allowing guests to decide the best time to eat. This approach has centralized innovation demand in Hotel Digital, aligning and enhancing the value we can offer from our area.

In 2024, we will continue evaluating and responding to numerous requests. The adoption of the Hotel Digital concept has increased company awareness of the importance of innovation, focusing all improvement demands on this unique project.

One of the things I like most about our project, as a partner in the Hotel Digital project, is the motivation towards innovation by being present in workshops where you really share possible ideas that independently would not make sense and combined with different visions can have another focus.

This is what open innovation provides, bringing partners together so that the creativity and innovation of new initiatives are enhanced. Because it's not the same to go alone as to go with a group of partners who have the same goal.

We see a growing interest in immersive technologies and the application of artificial intelligence in the tourism sector. What is your perspective on these technologies and their applicability in current business models?

Distinguishing between artificial intelligence and immersion can be complex, but in our case, we have been applying immersive technology for years. Customers booking through our website can preview and select their rooms, which has significantly improved our conversion rates. This mature technology allows customers to personalize their stay significantly.

Regarding predictive AI, we have been using it for some time, in our case, in big data analysis to predict market trends and future behaviors. However, generative AI is still in its early stages, although it promises to revolutionize our way of working, especially in efficiency and staff support. We do not seek to replace employees with technology but to complement and improve the efficiency of existing processes.

We are carefully exploring its implementation, especially in improving communication with our customers. We have started a project to evaluate how to enhance our app and facilitate smoother communication within the hotel, thus improving the customer experience without overloading our team.

Looking towards 2024, what challenges do you anticipate for the sector and specifically for Iberostar?

For 2024, our focus will be on leveraging digitalization to improve operational efficiency. Specifically, we plan to strengthen our BPM (Business Process Management) area to optimize critical processes, ensuring service quality.

Another pillar will be training in new technologies, essential in the face of the rapid digital evolution that directly impacts the hotel industry. It is vital that our team is well-prepared to maximize the benefits of these tools.

Sustainability also plays a crucial role in our short and long-term goals, with clear objectives: we aim to be free of waste sent to landfill by 2025 and carbon neutral by 2030. These efforts underscore our commitment to responsible tourism, focused on caring for people and the environments where our hotels are located, respecting the privileged locations of our hotels. We hope the rest of the sector joins us on this essential path towards sustainability.