The Sheraton Fiji Golf and Beach Resort has launched a new Artificial Intelligence-powered virtual concierge named Koko, which the hotel says will streamline guest information, facilitate bookings, and significantly reduce the resort’s paper consumption.
Hotel manager Yvo Alexander Van Dijk said the new system is accessible via a QR code.
“Our virtual concierge is called Koko and Koko is living in a QR code and if you scan the QR code you will see Koko going live,” he said.
The AI concierge is designed to be interactive and informative, especially around the busy holiday period.
“Thanks to AI, Koko is speaking, talking to our events throughout the year, and especially around the Christmas festivities, it will guide you throughout Christmas activities around the property. What is happening at what time, what are the costs for the events, what are the specialties for those events.
“AI has been brought together with the local team here that has been fully adopting it, and we’ve seen that deployed.”
Mr Dijk said QR codes for Koko are displayed throughout the resort complex.
“You will see Koko with the QR codes all around the resorts and guests will be able to see what is happening by scanning the code.”
Mr Dijk said the new digital system is also a part of the resort’s environmental sustainability efforts, allowing for a substantial reduction in printed materials.
“So just to put it in perspective, we used to print about the equivalent of 50 trees a year. Just to print the paperwork that all the information is on.
“Now we’ve reduced that tremendously and we have been able to save that. And with that, the interaction is getting there. So, it’s also helping to save the environment to get those things and the messages across.
“It’s more fun, rather than just having a piece of paper which nine out of 10 people don’t read, put it in the shredder at the end of the day, but now we certainly have somebody who can talk back to you.”
Mr Dijk said the resort is now fully digitalised, with the new system having been deployed only four weeks ago.
“We started the first year that,. we are fully digitalised. We have digital maps between the resorts happening.
“We have Koko there and we have all of that, started deployed four weeks ago by our marketing team.”
Mr Djik said Koko offers Q&A capabilities, event information, and direct booking for restaurants and Christmas season events.
“There is the digital version that talks to the events that are happening.
“Then they have the different restaurants and events throughout the Christmas season that you can book directly through Koko, and it brings you to the pages where it helps you to book.
“In the future, we will also have 3D maps of the three resorts plus the golf club. It will help you to get to those destinations and talk about what is happening in the different restaurants.”
