Though RFID technology isn’t exactly new; having been patented in the 1970’s, it’s experienced quite a comeback thanks to modern technology and the rise in popularity amongst touchless and cashless systems over the past few years. The application of this radio-signal based technology can be seen in multiple industries: healthcare and hospitals, manufacturing, office buildings, veterinary clinics, and more. The most familiar use of RFID may be through the use of hotel key cards, where a guest will scan their card against a plate on the doorhandle of their room to enter. A tiny RFID chip is easily embedded into those wallet sized cards, making them ideal for hotel room entry as opposed to needing to carry around a physical key in order to get inside and escape the sun (and drunk Great Aunt Agatha).

RFID Technology can be highly versatile with the proper scanning equipment, opening up a world — or resort, rather — of opportunities beyond simply opening a hotel door.

In What Ways Do Hotels Utilize RFID Technology?

• Door locks, of course
  • No Key-card, no entry
• On-Site Payments
  • Key-cards are easy to pre-load and make cashless payments easy-breezy.
• Theft Prevention
  • Luxurious pillows and towels are amongst the most beloved items for guests to steal. Embedding small RFID chips into the fabric allows hotels & resorts to be alerted when anything (Other than those cute lil’ shampoo bottles… those are up-for-grabs, right? Asking for a friend) escapes the perimeters of the resort.
• Inventory Management
  • A few RFID chips in the mini fridge, and no guest will get away with eating all ten 100 calorie Chips Ahoy packs without the concierge knowing.
• Controlled Amenity Access
  • Permissions can be set to ensure drunk Great Aunt Agatha isn’t allowed access to the day-lounge.
• Crowd Management
  • People don’t go on vacations to spend time in a swarm of crowds. RFID chips allow for easy crowd management and control (I repeat… Aunt Agatha).

Thanks to the hospitality industry’s embracement of RFID chipped key cards, hotels and their guests have so far been a happy united front behind the ease of RFID technology. Everything usually goes smoothly until guests begin lining up at the concierge counter, apologizing for losing their “keys”. Though the perfect size to fit in a wallet, the journey the cards make from their snug leather quarters to the launch scanning pad can sometimes meet an unfortunate fate, thus leaving their guests empty handed and without access to their rooms or amenities.

Cue: The Wristband.

Dating back as far as 5000 BCE in Egypt, wristbands — or bracelets — have evolved in extraordinary measures. From fashion bracelets to Smart Watches and Fitness Trackers, wristbands are arguably one of the many bones of society’s back. And it’s easy to see why: throw one on your wrist and just ask it to leave. Beg it. Just like that, you’ll see you have quite the companion, no matter where you go. Now, imagine applying RFID technology to that wristband and having the ability to enter a hotel room or pay for food and drinks with a simple swipe of a wrist. Gone are the days of the cumbersome task of reaching for a wallet, opening said wallet, reaching for a hotel key card, and — about half of the time — realizing it was left on the counter… in the room it was meant to open.

Touche, friends. While incredibly easy to use, the most exciting part about incorporating RFID cloth wristbands into the hospitality industry is that they can do so much more than simply give a guest access or allow them to buy drinks. In larger resorts, a swipe of the wrist can offer easy photo ops and activate interactive displays. With pre-loaded payment options, lines are eliminated, and drinks are quickly in hand. Vacations are fleeting, and anything to keep things flowing smoothly is a necessity.

Sure, keycard or wristband, it really only comes down to the RFID technology behind all of it, however, it’s pretty evident that RFID tagged wristbands steal the hands-off show when it comes to exploring resorts, enjoying excursions and living La Vida Loca with Great Aunt Agatha.