Amazon has announced new Echo Show visual capabilities for Alexa Smart Properties for Hospitality at the 2024 Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference (HITEC). These capabilities include persistent visual alerts for prioritized guest communications, a full rotating card panel for customizable content display, and an upcoming branded shortcut for easier access to hotel services.

Amazon also revealed a strategic collaboration with Viator, a travel experiences marketplace. This collaboration allows hotels to display Viator’s tours and activities on Echo Show devices, enabling guests to book experiences directly from their rooms using a QR code, which generates revenue for the hotel.

Viator claims that the tour display feature can make travel experiences more spontaneous and memorable for users by offering a vast array of experiences. For hotels, it's expected to be an opportunity to increase revenue as every tour booked using the in-room Echo Show device results in a revenue share for the hotel.

Analyst QuickTake: The news follows Amazon announcing third-party GenAI capabilities for Alexa in January 2024 , offering real-time conversations with different personas, music creation, and other capabilities. In line with this, Amazon may seek to integrate GenAI features to improve hotel guest experiences.