Interview: Zurich Tourism CEO on the Future of Marketing Smart Cities

By March 2016, over half of the 10,500 hotels rooms in Zurich will have tablets for guests to use to order services in the hotel and learn about the destination outside the hotel. The rest of the rooms should be outfitted by the end of next year. The rise of the "smart city" megatrend hinges on widespread digital connectivity. By developing platforms for more people and more things to communicate with each other — the basic foundation of a smart urban ecosystem — municipal and corporate leaders worldwide are developing new business opportunities in every sector, including tourism. Martin Sturzenegger, CEO of Zurich Tourism, says convincing almost all of the hotels to adopt the in-room tablet strategy wasn't easy. The hotel owners originally didn't really see the business value of integrating "The Digital Concierge" tablets into their systems, even when they were being provided free of charge, although that sentiment has since changed. The devices are paid for by Zurich To