Existing video security systems are already being used in 40% of UK, US, Sweden, and Norway-based hospitality venues and hotels to cover reception areas to help ensure proper procedures are being followed to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission. This was just one finding uncovered in a new Ava Security Hospitality Sector Video Security Trends Report 2021, published this month.
The hospitality sector has been turning to video analytics to help reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission as they prepare for further easing of lockdown. Nearly a quarter (24%) of hospitality sector decision-makers were already using their existing video systems for people counting, including room occupancy monitoring. A further 26% planned to deploy this capability in the next 12 months.
The same percentage (24%) had already configured their video security systems to report people density levels in reception areas, bars, lounges, and vestibules where guests are likely to congregate. An additional 30% said they were planning to add this capability over the next 12 months.
According to Ava, the use of behavioural analytics to augment video security systems will enjoy a boost in adoption as hoteliers look to use them to monitor adherence with one-way systems (for moving around the hotel), mask-wearing in public areas, as well as to capture suspicious behaviour like loitering near restricted entrances. Today, 24% of hotels have behavioural analytics in use but a further 30% plan to adopt it in the next 12 months.
Noise or audio analytics is also set to be deployed more extensively in hotels. Today, the research shows that 22% use some audio analytics to pick up breaking glass, gunshot, and other pre-defined sounds. However, a further quarter (26%) of hospitality sector respondents anticipated deploying this in the next 12 months.
A quarter (24%) of the hospitality sector recorded receipt of additional budget to accelerate the migration of more IT applications into the Cloud. Linked to this, 22% of hospitality sector security decision-makers were already actively considering ‘moving to a cloud-based video surveillance system (sometimes called VSaaS).’
Over half (52%) considered VSaaS adoption ‘Net High Priority’ (either High Priority or Somewhat a Priority). A further 22% were actively considering upgrading from an existing analog-based CCTV system to an IP video system. A further 16% planned to purchase new security cameras to gain access to additional video analytics capabilities.
The Ava Security Hospitality Sector Video Security Trends Report 2021 provides a wealth of data and insight linked to how Operations, Facilities Management, Security and IT directors, and managers within hotels and other hospitality venues in the US, Norway, Sweden, and the UK, are adapting their video security systems in the wake of the pandemic.
It also brings insight into how they prepare for the easing of lockdown restrictions this summer. Most states across the USA have already reopened their hotels, but mask-wearing and social distancing recommendations remain in place in most countries across Europe and US states today.
The Ava Security report also uncovered several requirements likely to be driving decisions to upgrade video security systems in the hospitality sector. Seven out of every 10 security decision-makers (70%) wanted to see improvements in their system’s video retrieval capabilities following a known incident. They confirmed it needs to be ‘easier and quicker. It currently takes too long.’
Nearly half (48%) saw the need for improvements in functionality to come from the use of video analytics to support better post-event decision-making and in order to ‘make the system more intelligent.’ 46% were intent on upgrading their CCTV or IP video system with a view to reducing false alarms dramatically ‘as this is consuming too much of our time.’
Covid safety has accelerated video system improvements
“Our findings indicate that, despite the severe reduction of bookings over the last year, hotels have continued to find new money for improving video security systems as part of a suite of process and system changes which they are green-lighting to reassure potential guests of their venues’ Covid safety readiness.
The hospitality market is clearly determined to begin recovering its losses as pandemic restrictions are lifted around the US and Europe. There are already stories of hotel rooms in some popular destinations being hard to come by, as most Europeans hold off on planning foreign travel until later in the summer due to lingering uncertainties linked to vaccination levels and the impact of new variants,” stated Vegard Aas, Head of Online Business at Ava Security.
