A STUDY ON SMART FACILITIES MANAGEMENT IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

Abstract

With increasing tourist receipts and tourist arrivals, Singapore has been a popular tourist destination in recent years. Besides leisure travels, Singapore has also been a popular destination for BTMICE travels.

As the hospitality industry is close knit with the tourism industry, it is important to keep these facilities well maintained in order to keep up with tourist demands. However, the hospitality as well as the facilities management industry is currently facing critical issues of ageing population, shrinkage in workforce as well as rising labour cost.

This paper seeks to examine the potential benefits that Smart Facilities Management can bring to the hospitality and facilities management industry, keeping in line with aims of the Smart Nation initiative launched by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as well as the Real Estate Industry Transformation Map (ITM) launched by the government.

Qualitative research method is adopted in this study to gather valuable insights about trends and opinions on Smart Facilities Management in Singapore. Analysis have done to show trends, understand benefits of technology as well as barriers that prevented the adoption of technology.

A list of recommended technology would serve as a guide to what building owners in the hospitality industry can adopt to increase productivity and efficiency in day to day operations despite the lack of manpower. Factors for technology providers to consider to increase the adoption of technologies were discussed as well.

Keywords: Hospitality Industry, Facilities Management Industry, Smart Facilities Management, Technology, Smart Nation, Facilities, Venues, Productivity, Efficiency.