This is the first article in a five part series on how the cloud is helping to improve the hospitality industry.

Cloud computing: At first just a new buzzword for computing services delivered via the Internet, the Cloud has matured and has quickly fueled unprecedented innovation and productivity in a variety of industries. And the hospitality industry is no exception.

Cloud services and its twin SaaS (software as a service) have the potential to revolutionize the hospitality industry, within both guest services and back office operations. From property management systems and reservation systems to concierge services and more, almost any aspect of a hotel’s business operations can be hosted in the cloud. The only requirements: a computer, tablet or mobile phone, a web browser and Internet connectivity.

The benefits of cloud services are not limited to large-scale enterprises. Hotels of any size can reap benefits and support their growth strategies by taking advantage of SaaS options available through the cloud. But while organizational size is not an issue for working in the cloud, infrastructure is. That’s why it’s crucial for hotels to carefully evaluate their data network structure before embarking on any cloud computing strategy.

Next Week: The Case for the Cloud: How the cloud helps save hotels time and money