Hilton Worldwide has announced the introduction of Explore, an all-new feature of the Hilton Honors mobile app, providing Hilton Honors members the opportunity to explore the neighborhood surrounding their hotel with suggestions from people who know the area best – local Hilton Team Members. Beginning September 12, Explore will be available in 28 markets covering nearly 1,000 global properties among all Hilton brands, with plans to expand to additional markets in the future.
Powered by location technology company, Foursquare, Hilton’s new Explore feature will bring together industry-leading at-your-fingertips technology and localised recommendations rooted in the personal experiences of local employees.
Through Explore, guests will have the opportunity to experience food, nightlife, shopping and activity destinations hand-selected by Hilton Team Members who reside in the area and take pride in knowing and sharing the ‘best of’ their cities firsthand. Each recommendation includes photos and tips directly from local Team Members, including tasty menu items to try, the best times to go, and specific things to see. Suggestions are curated to appeal to a variety of audiences – from families looking for kid-friendly museums to frequent travelers looking for business dinner recommendations or couples interested in fine dining experiences.
“In listening to our guests, there is a real desire for more personalised travel advice and access to local perspectives surrounding best restaurants, attractions and neighbourhoods to explore,” said Joshua Sloser, senior vice president of digital at Hilton. “No one knows their city better than local Team Members, which is why we’re empowering them, through Hilton Explore, to provide the latest local recommendations to enhance our guests’ experiences.”
Foursquare’s Places API, comprised of the freshest and most trusted venue content for more than 105 million places globally will serve as the primary source for real-time venue information, which includes ratings, features, photos and hours. Guests will see recommendations relevant to their current hotel reservation and can “favourite” the recommendations provided in advance of their travel to create an in-app guide for their upcoming trip.
“Foursquare’s location technology—built over nearly 10 years and proven to be the leading choice for layering context and location into digital experiences—is now allowing Hilton Team Members to better serve their guests by connecting them with our constantly refreshed database of more than 105 million places worldwide,” said Peter Krasniqi, vice president of global enterprise and business development for Foursquare. “Foursquare is an industry leader but most importantly, a trusted thought partner to the many companies that leverage our tech.”
Explore joins a breakthrough suite of digital services that power highly personalised guest experiences via the award-winning Hilton Honors app with convenience and ease of use. Currently through the app, guests can preselect their hotel rooms before they check in, opt to receive a digital key to access their room, and complete their check-in process – all on their mobile phone. In addition, as Hilton’s Connected Room concept rolls out to more properties, guests can use their mobile device as the in-room remote to control their television programming, lighting, and temperature controls – personalizing their preferences just as they do at home.
