Guest messaging in hospitality is growing worldwide—but there’s a lot of complex regulations to work through to make this happen. Top solutions like Kipsu have created frameworks to integrate multiple channels, comply with data protection laws, and provide 24-hour support.

Channels for different regions 

In the US, most 1:1 communication happens through SMS, MMS, and iMessage (or the Android equivalent, RCS). The US is unique in this aspect, because most countries worldwide communicate almost exclusively through apps like WhatsApp, Line, and WeChat that are accessible with just a Wi-Fi connection due to costs associated with traditional texting.

Worldwide, the most popular channels, known as Over the Top Messengers or OTTs,  include WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, WeChat, and Line.  Domestic and international hotels alike need access to these preferred channels to reach their guests where they’re at: globally, WhatsApp has 2 billion users and Facebook has 2.9 billion. 

Kipsu is one of the only messaging solutions that is set up to work with either SMS, OTTs or both. While some hotels, like the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge offer multiple messaging channels including WhatsApp and SMS, others like many Shangri-La teams primarily leverage WhatsApp, because that’s where their guests are.

Regional compliance regulations

The fun stuff! Each country has its regulatory bodies for communications between businesses and audiences, covering use cases like who can message who, type of content sent, how the personal information is used, and how communications are tracked. 

For the US, it’s the Telecommunications Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) that focuses on protecting consumer data and preventing spam messages—think “No Call List.” It requires businesses to collect written consent before making calls or sending text messages. 

In the EU, it’s the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). A bit stricter, it regulates how organizations protect the personal data of people residing in its protected areas. 

To ensure consent across the 56 countries it's active in, Kipsu utilizes best practices like verbal consent during the check-in process (“May we send you a text in about 10 minutes to make sure everything looks OK?”). For properties in the EU, the process includes sending a follow-up text to a welcome message with more information about data protection.

For other messaging channels such as Google Business Messaging (GBM) or Apple Business Chat (ABC) where a guest is searching for a hotel and reaches out first, that’s what’s called “opt-in”: No additional consent process is needed!

Learn more about data protection regulation in hospitality messaging.

24-hour support and message translation 

When evaluating a messaging solution, similar to any technology brought into a tech stack, it’s important to make sure the company's support team is available when needed. Many companies only have local support, sometimes only available on weekdays from 9am-5pm. If the team that is using the software is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, then the support team for their tools should be too.

Digital messaging in global hospitality aims to help bridge gaps in communication, and can actually help bridge language barriers for international guests. For instance, text messaging leverages modern translation technology for real-time translation, making it easier on bilingual teams to handle requests swiftly. 

Written messages can also be read and digested more comfortably by hotel management around the world—a message sent digitally or over text allows for response time to craft an informative and helpful reply. Stressful phone calls where dialects might be unfamiliar or language barriers take place can be avoided. Top solutions use translation services like Microsoft to ensure clear communication globally—both for elevated guest experience and increased staff efficiency.

Guest messaging is on its way to becoming an essential part of the hospitality industry. To learn more about guest messaging as a global solution, visit the Kipsu Hospitality page or schedule a conversation today.