Microsoft and hospitality firm Oyo have entered into a multi-year strategic alliance to co-develop next-gen travel and hospitality products and technologies, the companies announced on Thursday
The alliance includes deep technological engagement between the two companies. As part of the partnership, Oyo will adopt Microsoft Azure as a key enabler to drive cloud-based solutions geared to benefit patrons who operate small and medium hotel and home storefronts.
Microsoft has also made a strategic equity investment in Oyo.
Oyo will develop smart room experiences for travellers on the Oyo platform, such as premium and customised in-room experiences for its guests. Using Microsoft’s Azure IoT, the experience will include self-check-in supported by a digital register of arrivals and departures and self-Know Your Customer (KYC) along with IoT-managed smart locks and virtual assistance, as per an official release.
The platform will share existing workloads to Microsoft Azure as well as adopt the Microsoft 365 suite and switch to Github Enterprise for accelerating tech development. In a bid to make Oyo’s s technologies easily accessible across the world, the company is also working on several products to ease patron onboarding, it said.
Small and independent hotels and homeowners across the globe will be able to Oyo’s latest technology.
Business opportunities
Abhinav Sinha, Global COO & Chief Product Officer - OYO Hotels & Homes, said, “We are excited to join hands with Microsoft in our constant endeavour to improve business opportunities for the small and independent hotel and home owners, and to redefine experiences for travellers.”
“We do this through our products, and application of (Machine Learning) ML and (Artificial Intelligence) AI. This alliance with Microsoft will accelerate the deployment of our products in the hands of small businesses we work with, allowing us to create even more impact through an integrated technology ecosystem available on the cloud for businesses in the remotest corners of the world. For our guests, this alliance will mean more personalization, better choices, differentiated experiences and an improved guest experience in the future. Microsoft’s commitment is further strengthened by the equity investment in the company,” added Sinha.
“Combining the power of Azure with the tech and product stack developed by Oyo, we are looking forward to accelerating innovation in travel and hospitality,” said Anant Maheshwari, President, Microsoft India.
“It is inspiring to see how the Microsoft cloud is empowering digital natives like Oyo to accelerate industry transformation and innovations, turning the challenges of a post-pandemic era into opportunities for the future,” he added.