The flow of digital transition the challenges of technological solutions for hotels

Vol.:(0123456789) Social Indicators Research https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-024-03487-5 ORIGINAL RESEARCH The Flow ofDigital Transition: The Challenges ofTechnological Solutions forHotels AnaMaríaGarcía‑López1,2 · LuisGalindo‑Pérez‑de‑Azpillaga1,2 · ConcepciónForonda‑Robles1,2 Accepted: 25 November 2024 © The Author(s) 2025 Abstract The incorporation of digital technologies in hotels worldwide is moving forward at the same pace as the recovery of the tourism sector itself following the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers have looked at this topic from the perspective of suppliers and consumers, but little research has been carried out on hotels’ internal digitalisation processes and understanding their technological priorities to become more competitive. Atomization of hotel business structure and its characteristics and composition have traditionally hindered data collection. This research addresses this gap through close collaboration with the regional associative structure. The initial hypothesis is that digitization in Andalusian hotels flows at different speeds. The aim of the present study is to establish both the current state and the speed of digital transformation in hotels. To this end, there is an analysis of the degree of implementation of digital technologies in the hotel sector based on a case study of Andalusia (Spain). A mixed method approach is used, combining two focus groups that together contain 14 stakeholders, with 183 technological implementation surveys sent to hotels. This approach allows differentiation between the values of hotels specifically and those of accommodation as a whole, using two blocks of questions: technological solutions and tools; and infrastructures, integrations and data analysis. The results allow the validation of the initial hypothesis and show digital transition at two different speeds. The solutions and tools implemented, the technological priorities of future implementation and the use of digital enablers each display very disparate realities. Accelerating the rhythm of digitalisation is a great challenge for all hotels, whatever their category. The study contributes an original theoretical-practical model, whose method can be applied to other tourist destinations, regardless of their nationality. It enables comparisons and measurements, addressing both the typology of technological tools and solutions, and digitalisation issues. Keywords Hotels· Technological solutions· Digital transition· Digital tools· Andalusia * Luis Galindo-Pérez-de-Azpillaga [email protected] 1 Departamento de Geografía Humana, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain 2 Instituto Andaluz de Investigación e Innovación en Turismo (IATUR), Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain A.M.García-López et al. 1 Introduction The process of digital transformation into which the world has entered since the global COVID-19 pandemic began demands a review of traditional business models. Tourism today is without doubt immersed in a period of technological transition, a historic moment that requires a deep change in business thinking, with significant challenges and new rules. As happened with previous waves of technological change, the tourism industry is now obliged to bring itself up to date, with a growing dependence on digital and data reality (Gretzel etal., 2015; Law etal., 2021). Within this new technological paradigm, the breakthroughs are increasingly fast, intense and continuous (Schwab, 2017). Until the emergence of COVID-19, digital transformation did not figure in the strategic agenda of many hotels (Lam & Law, 2019). Today their challenge is how to better manage their business in the fourth industrial revolution (IR4): by continuing to be relevant to guests and maintaining their competitive position in the market, through digital innovation and transformation. The hotels’ technological ecosystem relies on the incorporation of software, data and technologies that operate from pre-stay to in-house and post-stay, including digital guest registration and check-in, keyless access, contactless payment, online messaging platforms, and conversation and translation technology such as online chatbots and widgets. Other elements are the Internet of Things (Iot) in all services, VR tours and 360° videos, streaming platforms for room service, and NFT technology. Robotics and artificial intelligence (IA) are incorporated through the automation of processes, offering important benefits, for both the improvement of the guest experience, and security, optimisation of operational efficiency and establishment profitability. In recent years, there has been a proliferation of management systems, specific hotel software, tools and technological solutions (TSs), all of which aim to facilitate and simplify hotel administration, although achieving the integration, connection and interoperability of applications and data continues to be key for the sector. There is a substantial amount of literature on smart hotels, from the perspective of both the supplier and the consumer, but none of this focuses on digitalisation processes.Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been important to understand the current state and the potential future growth of digital transformation in hotels, which requires a significant research effort.However, the body of literature in this field thus far is limited (Cheng etal., 2023; Lam & Law, 2019). The reason is that there are many difficulties in collecting individual data due to the highly fragmented nature of the sector, composed of a significant number of small and family-run businesses. While obtaining data from large groups and hotel chains is less challenging, it is not always representative of all destinations. The present study contributes to filling this research gap and responds to the Andalusian hotel sector’s need for awareness of the current degree of implementation and use of new technologies in its hotels. The study stems from the need to bridge and reduce this gap based on a key research question: What is the degree of implementation and use of new technologies in the Andalusian hotel sector as a whole? This implies a study from within the sector, both individually and collectively, necessary to respond to the existing sectoral demand in Andalusia. This has been made possible through close collaboration with the Andalusian tourism business structure. As stated by Busulwa etal. (2022), Cheng etal. (2023), Verhoef etal. (2021) and Vial (2019), digital transformation is the critical step towards a greater use of digital technologies in processes and operations of interaction. Bearing in mind that the hotel industry The Flow ofDigital Transition: The Challenges ofTechnological… already has many digital tools and solutions at its disposal, it is important to know the hotels’ appraisal of these, their needs and their capacity to address digital convergence. In order to achieve an overview both in general terms and by accommodation category, this study aims to analyse the existing degree of technological implementation and digitalisation in Andalusian hotels. The specific objectives are to: • Identify the technologies and tools currently available to hotels and the hotels’ shortterm needs, the potential for future investment, economic aid that can be accessed and barriers to digital transformation; • Analyse hotels’ capacity to accomplish the transition while taking proper account of their infrastructures, the degree of integration and connection of different technological solutions, and the use of digital enablers; • Elicit the professionals’ view of what the sector’s main technological goals and challenges are; and • Characterise the Andalusian hotel sector’s level of digitalisation and the evolution of its transition. 2 Literature Review There have been many studies of digitalisation, focusing on both the tourism sector in general and the hotel industry in particular (Buhalis, 2022, 2003; Caliskan etal., 2020; Cheng etal., 2023; Galán etal., 2022; Verevka, 2019; Verhoef etal., 2021). Pencarelli (2020) and Kumar etal. (2024) provide comprehensive overviews: on the digital revolution in tourism, the impact of the technological era on the tourism industry, and the digital transformation in the sector over recent years, based on the study of works, publications, and trends. Ozdemir etal. (2023) approach it from a critical reflection on the digitalization movement in the hotel industry. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic was a watershed in the history of tourism and its effects on hotel management became, from 2020, an important subject of study for both researchers (Bonfanti etal., 2021; Jiang & Wen, 2020; Pillai etal., 2021) and institutions (ITH, 2019, 2020; SEGITTUR, 2022). Debates dominated by fear of job loss and lack of confidence in the new technologies were left behind (Millauer & Vellekoop, 2019) to make way for smart hospitality, which consists of interconnectivity and interoperability within the hotel ecosystem (Buhalis & Leung, 2018), and hospitality 5.0 technologies (Leung, 2019; Pillai etal., 2021). Many studies have been carried out on the adoption of advanced technologies such as Big Data (BD), robotics and IoT (Cerezo etal., 2017; ITH, 2021; Ivanov etal., 2017; Mariani & Baggio, 2022; MINSAIT, 2019; Yang etal., 2020), although their use remains low in all global industries, including the hotel industry (Osei etal., 2022); there are also many studies related to ICT applications and their impacts on hotel operations, bars and restaurants, and tourism in general (Cain etal., 2019; Ivanov etal., 2017; Samala etal., 2022; Tung & Au, 2018; Yung & Khoo, 2019). There is also an exhaustive literature on automation for the tourism sector, (Grundner & Neuhofer, 2021; Huang etal., 2022; Ivanov & Webster, 2019; Tussyadiah, 2020), presented in Table1. If hotels today wish to maintain their competitive position, they must more than ever be at the forefront of technological change. Together with the technologies already mentioned, establishment management applications and software have also become much more common and sophisticated, presented in Table2. The hospitality A.M.García-López et al. Table 1 Technologies and the automation of processes in the hotel sector Technologies Objectives Reference examples Data analysis and Big data (BD) Analysis of feelings and capacity for self-learning Forecasting Pricing Segmentation and customisation Monitoring and customer loyalty Upselling Cerezo etal. (2017) Sánchez-Torres etal. (2022) Stylos etal. (2021) Talón-Ballestero etal. (2022) Xu etal. (2017) Voice assistants IoT and sensors Comfort Personalised and on-demand experiences Grundner and Neuhofer (2021) Ivanov and Webster (2019) Mariani and Baggio (2022) Blockchain Biometrics, facial recognition Cybersecurity Security, privacy and access verification Bowyer (2004) ITH (2022) Önder and Gunter (2022) Treiblmaier (2020) Sustainable solutions Building automation, sensors and digital twins Energy management: efficiency and cost reduction Botín-Sanabria etal. (2022) Chan etal. (2018) Litavniece etal. (2023) Mejía (2019) Contactless technologies Digital registration, keyless access and contactless payment Conversation technology Chatbot and booking widgets Reduction of waiting times Flexibility and simplification Speed of response, instant messages Increase in direct bookings Boiano etal. (2019) Gajdos and Marcis (2019) Samala etal. (2022) Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), AI Immersion Experiences Personalisation Huang etal. (2022) Jung etal. (2016) Yung and Khoo-Lattimore (2019) Samala etal. (2022) Pillai etal. (2021) Robotics Reduction of staff working hours, saving and optimisation of time Cain etal. (2019) ITH (2021) Ivanov and Webster (2019) The Flow ofDigital Transition: The Challenges ofTechnological… industry has gone through a chaotic period of online distribution software production. The plethora of distribution channels especially caused confusion in the hotel industry (Zamyatina & Solntseva, 2020). The literature has thoroughly covered the sector’s intranet and software tools, as well those extranets that, while not specific to hotel management, are fundamental to establishment administration, as in the case of massive distribution channels. 3 Methodology 3.1 Research Context The present research focuses on the implementation of digital technologies in hotels in Andalusia (Spain). It is important to analyze the internal digitalization processes of hotels because tourist destinations need to understand their current stage in the digital transition and their technological priorities in terms of competitiveness. This is a necessary preliminary step towards greater use of digital technologies. In 2019, Spain was the second most visited destination in the world (UNWTO, 2020) and Andalusia received 32.5 million tourists (SAETA, 2020), making it one of the most competitive tourist regions in Europe. In 2022, 30.8 million tourists visited the region (SAETA, 2023), which is evidence of the rapid recovery and strength of this sector in a context still scarred by international economic uncertainty and the relevance of studying the Andalusian case. In addition to being one of the most visited destinations in Spain, it is the region with the largest hotel facilities in the country and with the highest number of ongoing projects and planned investments in the sector in the last three years. This reflects the level of market and investor confidence in Andalusia and is related to different factors. It is a consolidated destination with a recognisable brand and a long tradition that goes back to the mid-twentieth century, which has provided the regional tourism-business network with the experience and capacity to adapt to market changes. Its offer of tourist accommodation is extensive and diverse, with hotel establishments (HEs) standing out due to their power of attraction. HEs comprise guesthouses, bed and breakfasts, hostels, aparthotels and hotels (H*). Among the existing 3622 HEs, there are more than 400,000 accommodation places, of which 227,952are exclusively in hotels (INE, 2023). Andalusia currently offers 1808 H* of six categories, from 1 to 5 star and 5 star luxury (L): 252 H1*, 484 H2*, 455 H3*, 550 H4*, 47 H5* and 20 H5L* (Open RTA, 2022). At a territorial level, there are notable quantitative (H*) differences, with the cities of Seville (158), Granada (101) and Malaga (88) offering the highest total number of hotels (TH). The highest category H* (5* and 5*L) are concentrated above all in the province of Malaga, on the Costa del Sol, with a marked dependence on international tourism. This case study and its regional focus provide an overview of the limitations and weaknesses at the destination-region scale, to address greater growth and competitiveness both at the sectoral level and from the public management of tourism. Moreover, it allows for a comparative analysis with other destination regions of similar trajectory and tourist characteristics, in relation to the behavior and evolution of the sector within the framework of the digital transition. A.M.García-López et al. Table 2 Hotel management tools and systems Resources Characterisation and uses Reference examples BI (business intelligence) BI offers hotel managers essential tools for the analysis and presentation of data, such as trend analysis, so that they can make more informed decisions Xu etal. (2017) CMS (channel management system) The CMS enables the management of the inventory and pricing of different channels from a single platform. It supervises all the distribution channels and supports the Revenue Manager for a better control of prices Buhalis and Leung (2018) Choi and Kimes (2002) CMMS (computerised maintenance management system) Computer-assisted maintenance management programs for preventive, corrective and normative maintenance facilitate interdepartamental communication between reception, rooms and maintenance service for rapid incident resolution Gado and SamehHussien (2019) Sánchez etal. (2022) CRM (customer relationship management system) Customer management system facilitates guest relations, sales and marketing. It is a commercial IT system for relationship marketing and the enhancement of online reputation Rahimi and Kozak (2017) Sigala (2005) CRS (central reservation system) This automated centralised booking system must be integrated bidirectionally with the PMS so that both systems have access to the same information in real time. They transmit relevant data from distribution channels, GDS (global distribution systems), meta-search engines and OTAs (online travel agencies) Koh and Hassim (2021) ERP (enterprise resource planning) Business planning and management software capable of covering accounting, financial, sales and storage needs not covered by the PMS. It can manage both front-office and back office tasks Aktürk (2021) PMS (property management system) This hotel management system, integrating the trading system, bookings, and internal costandpersonnel management, is the hotel operations hub that ensures a continuous flow of information between departments Dyshkantiuk etal. (2020) Koh and Hassim (2021) RMS (revenue management system) This income management system analyses data from the PMSand helps the revenue manager make decisions Abad etal. (2019) Ortega (2016) Talón etal. (2022) Rate shoppers Rate checkers These pricing solutions provide information on competitors, distribution channels and online reputation, monitoring competitors’ prices in real time Ma etal. (2022), Mantovani etal. (2021) Distribution channel management GDS (global distribution system) These are the largest online travel platforms, such as Amadeus, Sabre and Galileo. They connect travel agencies with providers of both hotels and air travel, and vehicle hire services, for example. Their main benefit is the access they provide to large numbers of hotel rooms Aamir and Atsan (2020) Foris etal. (2021) The Flow ofDigital Transition: The Challenges ofTechnological… Table 2 (continued) Resources Characterisation and uses Reference examples OTAs (online travel agencies) They connect service providers to end consumers and account for a very high proportion of all hotel bookings worldwide, examples being Booking.com, Expedia, Weekendesk, Hotelbeds, Hostelworld and HRS Kvítková and Petrů (2023) Huang etal. (2019) Meta-search engines They help users find the best room at the best price in the destination, their results coming from room availability searches on the different OTA sites, examples being Tripadvisor, Google Hotel Finder, Trivago, Kayak and Skyscanner Anguera-Torrell and Langer (2022) A.M.García-López et al. 3.2 Data Collection Methods During 2022, the fieldwork necessary to carry out this research—whose initial hypothesis is H = Digitisation in Andalusian hotels flows at different speeds—was undertaken. There is a general description of the research design for this study based on a framework structured in two phases (Fig.1). Given the research design’s theoretical-applied nature, a mixed method is used. Bearing in mind the mixed methods design matrix proposed by Creswell etal. (2003), the study uses a sequential exploratory design that implements the qualitative method followed by the quantitative and whose priority is quantitative. The literature on tourism provides numerous examples of studies that employ quantitative and qualitative techniques in the same project and reiterate the importance of using Mixed Methods Research—MMR—(Azer etal., 2022; Creswell, 2015; Khoo-Lattimore & Yung, 2019; Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2010). The MMR research focus is considered the third important research paradigm.It implies the gathering of both quantitative and qualitative data, the integration of the two types of data and the use of different designs that can involve philosophical suppositions and theoretical frameworks (Creswell & Creswell,2018; Fetters & Molina-Azorin, 2017). During the first data collection stage (Phase 1) of this study, there were two focus groups (FGs) with qualitative results in order to determine the point of view of the interested parties in relation to the technologies applied in hotel management and the digitalisation of the sector. In the second stage (Phase 2), a survey of the hotel industry was carried out. The ideas derived from the first phase are an integral part of the survey’s design.The results obtained enable the contrasting of H through answering the key questions (Qs): Q1 Which technological solutions (TSs) and digital tools are the most implemented and which are a priority for implementation in Andalusian hotels, and what is the hotel´s economic capacity to invest in technology? Fig. 1 Research framework The Flow ofDigital Transition: The Challenges ofTechnological… Q2 What is the assessment of their digital transformation capacity based on infrastructures, integrations and data analysis (IIA)? Q3 How does the hotel sector behave and evolve with respect to digital transition? 3.2.1 Qualitative Focus Group Aqualitativestudy was undertaken following procedures recommended in previous studies (Califf etal., 2020). In this Phase 1, alongside a systematic review of the literature, FGs were created to identify qualitative keys on the current digitalisation of the hotel sector. Throughout the process, there was collaboration with the Andalusian Federation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation in Andalusia (FAHAT) as the main sectoral representative and the best informed body as to the real situation on a regional scale. The proposed case study was of 14 key agents, all professionals in the hotel sector. The stakeholders were selected for their representativeness and reputation at a territorial and provincial level. Besides being users of the new technologies, they make decisions on innovation and digitalisation strategies in their hotels (Appendix 1). Two FG sessions were organised; previous studies have suggested that a small number de participants—from six to eight—is the most appropriate for an FG due to the specificity of the discussions (Hennink, 2013; Krueger & Casey, 2015), soafter considering the participants’ jobs and positions, the sessions groups were developed with seven members in each. Each of the three-hour sessions was recorded and subsequently transcribed.The open coding was completed by means of reading the transcriptions line by line and coding the key ideas. Through open questions related to opportunities and limitations, technological objectives, sectoral issues and the main challenges, assessments were obtained that reflect the sector’s current concern of the sector. 3.2.2 Quantitative Survey As in Gardiner etal. (2022), a survey methodology based on the findings of thequalitative research was adopted. The present study contrasts two areas of technological interest: technological solutions (TSs) and digital tools; and infrastructures, integrations and data analysis (IIA). In MMR, the qualitative and the quantitative results complement each other (Creamer, 2018; Truong etal., 2020). According to Mason etal. (2021), a systematic study design process in the exploratory stage can increase a study’s value, specifically when the initial qualitative stage is followed by a quantitative stage. Phase 2 is based on a questionnaire of 15 questions, including both open and segmented, in order to classify the responses taking into account the average of both the hotels as a whole (TH) and the different categories of establishment (Appendix 2). In the first open question the hotels are asked to identify the five most implemented technologies (implemented technologies) and name the specific PMS models used in each case, as well as identify the five most priority for future implementation in the short term (priority technologies) and those that are least needed in their establishments (non-priority technologies). The second open question analyses the main barriers that exist when implementing the new technologies. For the remaining 13 questions, hotels were asked to indicate their ratings on a ten-point Likert scale (0 = very low level and 10 = very high level), or a five-point scale (1 = very low level and 5 = very high level) conditional on the topic associated with the question and its inclusion in the questionnaire (Kim etal., 2020; A.M.García-López et al. Table 7 Keys from the sector in the present and in the future Categories Most relevant professional contributions Opportunities and barriers “… the volume of information we receive every day from different technological providers can be overwhelming and it’s hard for us to choose, the technology is evolving very quickly … it’s disconcerting” “… I recognise that the data provide a great opportunity but we still don’t really know how to take full advantage of all the benefits in terms of return on the investment” “… the European Next Generation EU funds are an opportunity for us but they’re not well managed. We continue to demand agility and flexibility from the public administration” Sectoral aims “… developing strategic alliances both within and outside our region means we can better capitalise on all our potential as a sector” “…the environmental technologies allow us to be more efficient and also to save money” “… the integration between physical and digital channels is the new issue to be tackled” Challenges in collaboration “…we want to avoid intermediation and the associated costs. However, it is currently very difficult to make direct sales and operate independently of other providers” “… I still think that collaboration between the public and private sectors is the best way to deal with the challenges we’re facing” “… the connection between applications and services such as CRSs and CMSs within the PMS continues to be a key requirement” Challenges and commitments “… it’s hard to find qualified workers and then keep them when we do find them. For this digital transformation, we need new professional profiles” “… we have a commitment to a sustainability that cuts across all our supply chain, and we ask our providers for letters promising social and environmental responsibility … in fact, if they don’t make this commitment we change to another provider” “… we know that data and integration are key. For this reason, from FAHAT we work along two lines: both through the Smart Data for the destinations managed by Andalusian Tourism and with the ITH and the HOSBEC within the framework of the Biotrend project” Fig. 3 Hotel digitalisation. X hotels and digitisation speed (S1, S2) The Flow ofDigital Transition: The Challenges ofTechnological… transformation is the sustainability of the sector. These hotels are interested in a greater understanding of predictive analysis and data processing, and an increased automation of their processes. H4* hotels have the highest level of digitalisation of all those in the sample, and their forecast for investment in digital technologies is also the highest. The S2 group hotels are making slower progress and maintain a low level of digitalisation. Their capacity to adapt to the changes and undertake technological transformation is limited. They are self-managed establishments that regardless of their category (apart from H4* and H5*) are located in small coastal and inland destinations. A significant number of them do not reject the digital technologies and most of of them have their own digital management tools in place, although they do not use many digital products and services to attract customers, and their degree of data analysis tool implementation is very low. The 11% of establishments that do not use a PMS as a management system belong to this group. They are mostly H1* and H2*, family-managed SMEs, and small in terms of UA and beds. Some have year-round bookings and very high levels of both customer loyalty and income, which shows that there is not always a direct correlation between the most advanced technology and profitability, as in Buhalis and Leung (2018): it is rather the way in which the hotels use the technology that determines their results. However, the crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the costly economic recovery have slowed down their development and their investment forecasts significantly, with the economic barrier being decisive. At the same time, the FGs reveal that the S2 group hotels are unaware of digital enablers and many existing TSs, and have serious problems finding staff with the necessary technical qualifications. If their budgets were large enough to invest in digital technologies, their priority would be to choose the most simple, intuitive and easy to use. It is worth noting that they maintain limited relations with their provincial associations, which are a reliable source of information and market updates. The results obtained allow us to test the initial hypothesis by answering the three key questions asked at the beginning of this study. 6 Recommendations andContributions 6.1 Theoretical Implications This study provides a theoretical-practical model that analyzes the level of implementation of digital technologies in hotels, with a particular focus on the Andalusian region. From a theoretical perspective, this model reinforces the idea that digital transformation is neither homogeneous nor standardized, as hotel needs vary according to their category, economic resources, and clientele. This suggests that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution for digitalization in the hotel sector, which highlights the importance of personalisation and adaptability. The study also introduces a mixed method approach that combines different analytical tools, thus validating the findings and establishing a theoretical basis for future research in other tourist destinations, which reinforces its relevance and application beyond the local context. 6.2 Practical Implications On a practical level, the study offers clear recommendations to hotels regarding the implementation of digital technologies, suggesting that each hotel should find a balance between A.M.García-López et al. supply and demand for technological solutions based on their specific needs. This personalized approach implies that public administration and sectoral policies should focus on fostering public–private collaborations and promoting system interoperability, ensuring that digital tools are accessible to all hotels, regardless of their category. The research highlights the importance of training in digital skills and the need to promote a technological culture within organizations, which is vital to attracting and retaining talent. However, the study acknowledges that its findings are not generalizable due to the limited sample of 183 hotels, suggesting the need to expand future research to obtain more robust and representative results. 6.3 Social Implications The study emphasizes the importance of democratizing access to digital technologies, arguing that technological intelligence should not be an exclusive luxury for high-category hotels, but an accessible opportunity for all. This inclusive approach has significant social implications, as it promotes equal opportunities in the hotel sector and seeks to reduce technological training gaps. Furthermore, it encourages greater collaboration between universities, research centers, and the hotel sector, highlighting the importance of designing educational programs that respond to the current needs of the industry, directly impacting human capital and its professionalization in the sector. Appendix1 Stakeholders Focus group Position/representation Institution, association, hotels Session 1 President Andalusian federation of hotels and tourist accommodations Secretary General-Manager Provincial association of hotels of Huelva President Provincial association of hotels of Cadiz President Association of hospitality entrepreneurs of Cordoba President Business circle of tourism of Huelva Vice President Association of hotel entrepreneurs of the “Costa del Sol” President Association of hotels of Seville and province Session 2 CEO Soho boutique hotels (Andalusia and Spain) Owner Fuerte hotels group (Marbella, Conil, El Rompido, Grazalema) Owner Hotels of Granada (4*) and Seville (1* and 2*) Director Hotels of Cadiz (2* and 4*) Director Hotels of Seville (2 hotels of 3*), Huelva (4*) and Cadiz (3*) Director Hotels of Granada (3* and 4*) Director Hotels of Malaga (4* and 5*), Cadiz (4*) and Seville (3* and 4*) The Flow ofDigital Transition: The Challenges ofTechnological… Appendix2 Questionnaire—List ofIndicators Block 1: technological solutions, investments, and limitations What are the most implemented TS and equipment, those with the greatest need for implementation (priority), and non-priority ones? If you have a PMS, which one do you use? Open questions What are the main barriers and possible obstacles when implementing new technologies, TS, and software? Evaluation of the levels of technological implementation in the establishment Very low level Low level Medium level High level Very high level Evaluation of investment levels allocated to the implementation of ST and digital technologies Technological implementation: number of ST implemented and operational Very low (less than 5) Low (6 to 10) Medium (11 to 15) High (16 to 20) Very high (more than 20) Planned investment in technology for the next year by H* category (€) 0 25,000–50,000 50,000–100,000 100,000–200,000 200,000–300,000 More than 300,000 Evaluation of the importance of economic aid from the administration for technological implementation Not important Slightly important Neither much nor little Quite important Very important Block 2. infrastructures, integrations, and analysis Evaluation of the level of digital qualification of employees Very low level Low level Medium level High level Very high level Capacity of the technological infrastructure to undertake a digital transformation process Degree of acquisition of new customers and/or income from digital products and services Degree of integration and connection between ST (PMS, ERP, CRS, RMS, CRM, etc.) Implementation level: 0–10 Implementation level of cybersecurity tools, data analysis, BD, etc Analysis of customer complaints to improve operational management Use of technologies to attract customers Use of technologies to analyse customer information Acknowledgements TED2021-131577B/AEI/https:// doi. org/ 10. 13039/ 50110 00110 33 / EU NextGenerationEU/PRTR and TUR-RETOS2022-033/Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism/EU NextGenerationEU”/PRTR IATUR, both of which are R & D projects. The authors would also like to thank the Andalusian Federation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation (Federación Andaluza de Hoteles y Alojamientos Turísticos—FAHAT). Declarations Conflict of interest There are no conflicts of interests. A.M.García-López et al. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if you modified the licensed material. You do not have permission under this licence to share adapted material derived from this article or parts of it. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. 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