Hotel business transformation in the context of Russia’s emerging digital economy

The article is concerned with the study of conditions and opportunities for development of digital economy in the Russian Federation in the context of applying digital technologies in the hotel industry. To realize the purpose of this study, i.e. to define the role of information innovations in the hospitality sector, the following methods and approaches were applied: systematization, analysis and synthesis, concretization and generalization, comparative analysis; information gathering and observation. Based on the analysis of the digitalization dynamics in certain sectors of the Russian economy, the main trends supporting the development of the digital environment were identified. These include a high degree of Internet coverage of the Russian population and availability of digital services. The revealed positive dynamics of the digital environment enables the authors to explore the main digitalization areas in the hotel industry, which includes selection and use of the PMS that allow for bringing the hotel’s main business processes to a new technological level, including through development of special applications and services that expand the services provided to the guests. All this makes it possible to build relationships with consumers on a qualitatively new level and increase competitiveness of the hospitality sector.