By Avendra. Published on 6/21/2018 in Hospitality Technology.

The world’s largest hospitality technology show, HITEC, is commencing in Houston this week. Coming off the heels of HITEC Amsterdam and the recent 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), these shows give the tech industry’s best and brightest a chance to promote and experience the most innovative electronic consumer products scheduled to hit the market in the coming years.  Many of these innovative products can also be adapted for hospitality, particularly  if owners and operators want to meet the technological needs of its future core clients.

Historically, hospitality has focused on providing a multi- generational guest experience and, therefore, has not focused on the Millennial generation’s desire for state-of-the-art technological products.  However, these “cord cutters” are leading the push for a more connected world and are increasingly demanding that their hospitality experiences include the most innovative technological products. The products and innovations seen at CES for instance are still a few years away from becoming a standard, but if hoteliers want to transition to Millennial generation-focused offerings, then it must start to think about and lay the infrastructure for these products now.

Here are a few CES innovations to consider – and even watch out for – at HITEC 2018:

• 5G Networks

Leading the charge into this “new data era” is the creation of the 5G network (fifth- generation wireless broadband technology).  5G is an incredibly fast network, enabling users to download full-length movies in just a matter seconds, process information in real time, and broadcast information to nearby devices. Experts believe that 5G connectivity will lead us into the creation of smart cities and massive advances in artificial intelligence. What this means for the hospitality space is more connectivity between the guest and the hotel.