Earlier this year, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) launched the latest cohort of its Singapore Tourism Accelerator programme. The programme aims to help tourism and hospitality businesses prepare for the gradual opening of borders, as the pandemic has greatly impacted international tourism. With this programme, tourism businesses are paired with technology companies to pilot new solutions for the sector, allowing them to enhance operations by improving visitor experiences and driving innovation in the industry.

Copthorne King’s Singapore was one of the firms in this latest cohort, and was partnered with United States-based technology firm, WooHoo, to digitally transform hotel operations. WooHoo uses an award-winning contactless Voice Artificial Intelligence (AI) Assistant Speaker that allows guests to use voice commands to play in-room music entertainment, request for amenities, order in-room dining, and adjust their room’s lighting. It is the world’s first integrated AI Assistant that combines the power of voice AI technologies with the Internet of Things (IoT).

These functions help to improve the guest experience while reducing calls by 20%. Reducing staff reliance on taking in-room dining orders or amenities requests, staff can efficiently perform other roles that require a human touch.

With WooHoo, Copthorne King’s sees a potential increase in in-room dining by at least 30%, at the same time providing real-time operational insights for the hotel. Tapping into voice AI assistance and harnessing consumer behaviour also creates personalised, one-of-a-kind data-driven experiences for guests. Additionally, it reduces miscommunication and conflicts about orders, and speeds up the ordering process for guests. WooHoo also includes push notifications, which allows the hotel to promote events and promotions.

With this new technology, it helps to create a world-class experience, with innovation that shapes the future of travel and provide cross-industry collaboration, signalling the start of a new era of hospitality in Singapore.