2.

3 Application of Technology in the Tourism Industry

As technology is evolving faster than ever before, it has made most travellers around the world much more
technology-savvy than in the past. The internet has revolutionized the tourism industry more than any other
factor in the last few decades. Also, as more people are connected to each other, with access to the vast pool
of information available online, an increasing number of travellers are seeking information via the internet
prior to making any travel decisions. Hence, it has become important for the tourism industry to adapt and
uplift its practices and skills of the workforce within in to meet changing customer behaviour. Not limited to the
use of technology in determining tourist movement modes, technological appropriateness can also be
diversified into various aspects related to tourism such as the latest sustainable use of materials on any physical
infrastructure related to tourism such as hotels, resorts and others. This can indirectly give advantages and
disparate views from the perspective of tourists in respect of the disparities highlighted by the place and thus
creating a distinctive interest and has the potential to attract tourists.

2.3.1 Encourage the Use of Web-based Tourist Information Systems

(E-Tourism)
The internet is more and more emerging as a handy tool of traveling for the tourist industry. It presents a
perfect platform that brings products and services to the customer. However, web based tourist information
system provides not only on-line brochures, but provides both value and service. Information technology is
having a big effect on all sectors of tourism. Tourists have problems to find what they are looking for, especially
in reference to the geographic position of the object and its surroundings. In most cases, it is not satisfying to
find a nice hotel without a reference to restaurants, sights or event locations located nearby.

ST13 Adopting a 3 "T": "Travel, Tourism and Technology."

The advent and application of mobile technologies have further impacted the tourism and travel industry. This
has been possible due to the development in ecommerce. Customers can now view and choose various travel
and tourism options by surfing the internet through their mobile phones. Short messaging services also provide
a lot of information as the booking confirmation can simply be presented to the airline or the hotel and one is
allowed to enjoy the service. The emergence of new and high tech mobile phones has again stirred a revolution
in mobile technology. This is especially helpful as these phones allow a user to access internet and book
services online. Thereby, one can also book tour packages and other travel related services through the mobile.
Technology also has helped tourism and hospitality industries replace expensive human labor with
technological labor. This helps reduce labor costs, but also helps avoid customer service issues.Here are some
examples of the ways that IT continues to improve the hospitality and tourism industry

Internet and Marketing

The internet has a powerful impact on hospitality and tourism. A customers first experience with your business
is a visit to your website. This includes looking at pictures and reviews from past guests. It is vital for a business
to effectively utilize online advertising, social media, blogs, and online purchasing to help convenience their
customers, especially when your competitors are doing the same thing.

Computer systems

Computer systems allow communication between larger hotel chains with multiple locations to connect easier.
They also help keep staff on the same page and make it easier to access information, making your guests
experience much better. Guest requests, housekeeping information, and reservations can all be found on one
system.
Mobile Communication

Mobile tablets and smartphones have replaced large desktop computers, making them virtually extinct. This is
helpful, because many travelers take some type of mobile device with them on a trip. This helps hospitality
businesses keep customers advised of changes and delays to their reservations, offer deals, and advertise by
using GPS tracking.

2.3.2 Apply Low-Carbon Technologies to Construct Low-Carbon

Tourist Attractions
Low-carbon technologies in tourism is based on low power consumption, low pollution and low emission. It not
only puts forward new requests for the planning and development of tourism resources but also places specific
demands on tourists. It aims to improve the quality of tourism services while protecting the local natural and
cultural environment, and making positive contributions to the local population and their surroundings.

ST14 Promote the use of sustainable materials for building low carbon
Reducing embodied carbon is one of the simple and practical mitigation options for the building sector by
utilising carbon sink and low carbon materials and products in buildings. Carbon sink building materials are
mainly sourced from harvested wood products (HWPs). Wood is harvested from trees that capture carbon
through the process of photosynthesis. Fifty per cent of the dry weight of wood is carbon, and the amount of
carbon in 1m3 of wood is similar to that in about 350 litres of gasoline (Labbe, 2010). It is important to ensure
that the wood comes from sustainably managed plantations. Wood from illegal forest logging is not carbon-
neutral and should not be used at all. Illegal logging permanently destroys vast natural carbon sinks and their
associated biodiversity, which can not be easily restored. Using non-sustainable source harvest wood products
is more environmentally detrimental than the benefits of using low-carbon materials in buildings.

Not all building materials can be carbon-sinks. In such cases, low carbon building materials should be used as
much as possible. Low-carbon building materials can be sourced from materials with both low embodied
energy and carbon in their production, assembly, and transportation processes. Due to the broad-based
definition, low-carbon building materials are interpreted differently in different contexts. For example, metal
products are considered to be high-embodied carbon materials because the extraction and refinement
processes involved are carbon intensive. However, recycled metal products used in new buildings can be
considered low-carbon.

Carbon sink building materials and products.

The harvested wood building materials and products include flooring and cladding materials, window frames,
doors, furniture, structural columns, beams and rafters. Bamboo products (Figure 2.1X) have recently received
a lot of attention, due to its fast-growth, renewability and availability in both tropical and subtropical climates.
Laminated bamboo has been found to be tougher than soft steel, and the surface is harder than that of red oak
timber and fibreglass. Consequently, bamboos have been widely used in building structures, screen walls and
as roofing components. Bamboo products have also found application in the high-end building market, for
example, treated bamboo flooring.
Figure 2.1X, Application of carbon-sink materials in buildings in Tadom Hill Resort, Banting, Selangor. (photo
credit: Tadom Hill Resort)

Low carbon building materials and products have been the subject of research and development. This has
resulted in many innovative building material products through the use of by-products and recycled products.
Some examples of recently developed low-carbon materials and products in the market include:

Low-carbon bricks. These have been rolled out for mass production and implementation since 2009. The use of
40% fly ash (Ritch, 2009) helps to reduce embodied carbon found in conventional bricks. Fly ash is a fine glass
powder that consists primarily of silica, iron and alumina. It is a byproduct of coal combustion from electricity
generation and is disposed of after being separated from the flue gas.

Green concrete. The raw materials to form conventional concrete can be substituted with byproducts of
industrial processes and recycled materials. For example, carbon intensive Portland cement can be substituted
by fly ash and granulated blast-furnace slag. Aggregate or sand can be substituted by washed copper slag, and
granite by recycled granite from demolished debris.

Green tiles. These are ceramic material made from over 55% recycled glass and other minerals. The products
turn waste glass into tiles for use in building’s internal and external flooring and cladding. The sparkling
recycled glass components add an aesthetic quality to the products.

Recycled metals. The production process of metal products is highly carbon intensive. However, the life cycle
performance of metal products can significantly reduce their production energy consumption, for example, by
95% for aluminium, 80% for lead, 75% for zinc and 70% for copper. This is because repeatedly recycled metals
can still maintain their properties (Stewart et al., 2000). Other forms of utilising metal products without the full
recycling process (which includes re-melting the old metal products and re-moulding them into new products)
is to reuse existing metal structural components, such as steel columns and beams that still maintain their
structural performance. Lastly, building-unrelated metal products, such as shipping containers, can also be
adaptively reused in new building projects (Figure 2.2x).
Figure 2.2x: Shipping containers can be adaptively re-used in new buildings. (Photo credit: mazhar worldwide)

ST15 Set up energy monitoring to track energy consumption

The hotel industry constitutes one of the most energy- and resource-intensive branches of the tourist industry.
Substantial quantities of energy are consumed in providing comfort and services to guests, many of who are
accustomed to, and willing to pay for exclusive amenities, treatment and entertainment. The energy efficiency
of the many different end-users in hotel facilities is frequently low, and the resulting environmental impacts
are, therefore, typically greater than those caused by other types of buildings of similar size. The effects on the
environment are caused by the excessive consumption of local/imported resources (e.g., water, food,
electricity, and fuels), as well as by emissions released to air, water and soil. The large quantities of waste
products generated in hotel facilities pose a further significant environmental threat. The energy use varies
substantially between different types of hotels, and is affected by hotel size, class/category, the number of
rooms, customer profile (guests visiting for business/on vacation), location (rural/remote or urban), climate
zone, as well as by the types of services/activities and amenities provided to guests The energy consumption
within the hotel sector is highly diversified and often difficult to grasp in detail. Today, most hotel facilities only
monitor their overall energy expenditure without detailed attention to the different end-uses. Detailed
monitoring and documentation of the various energy flows is technically possible but generally regarded as
prohibitively complex and expensive. Based on what has been stated earlier, the monitoring of energy used in
those buildings can be realised through building energy management system (BEMS). It is a sophisticated
method to monitor and control the building's energy needs. Next to energy management, the system can
control and monitor a large variety of other aspects of the building regardless of whether it is residential or
commercial. Examples of these functions are heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), lighting or
security measures. BEMS technology can be applied in both residential and commercial buildings including
resorts and hotels.
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