For real estate investors who own or operate hotels, there are several ways to instantly - and affordably - transform these properties into added sources of revenue. Starting with an emphasis on wireless communications ("Wi-Fi"), a building or hotel can become a source of added revenue and increased occupancy. This recommendation has obvious value within the hospitality industry, where business and leisure travelers need to be online. And, since many real estate investors who own or manage these properties want to stay current with various economic trends, Wi-Fi is a service that yields obvious results: people seek to access the Internet - and they will pay for the privilege of doing so - provided a building offers reliable and effective service.

Also, the state of the economy requires real estate investors to give individuals a reason to use one property over another. That principle is a truism within the world of commercial real estate, where there is fierce competition among owners to attract potential tenants with any manner of benefits. So, while Wi-Fi is an expected suite of services for commercial tenants, real estate investors who own or operate hotels need to extend this concept to the hospitality industry, too.

For example: the nature of travel is different than in previous years, since people want to be online - for different reasons, of course - regardless of the locale. Which is to say, a resort in the Caribbean is no more immune from the demands of the Internet than a hotel in a major city near a convention center or downtown financial district. In the first situation, travelers may want to get online to send digital snapshots of their trip or use social media to memorialize their vacations; while in the second situation, a business traveler may need to be online to check work-related emails, get breaking news, send reports and download relevant information. But in both circumstances - between the needs of the vacationer and the business traveler - there is a common thread: the demand to be online.

Building owners who respond to this phenomenon have a means of distinguishing themselves from the competition. Remember: Wi-Fi is a necessity for most people - and no one wants to be anchored to a desk to access the Internet - so real estate investors who outfit their hotels and office buildings with wireless technology will win. Best of all, this embrace of Wi-Fi is, in comparison to other upgrades, an affordable - and effective - way to quickly make a property more valuable.

The challenge for owners and operators rests with selecting a credible partner to address these issues. Creating an environment where wireless technology works seamlessly - which also means Wi-Fi service has the support of expert technicians and consultants - is often the key factor between a building or hotel with high occupancy rates and a vacant property. This one feature may not seem like a critical factor, but people want to be online - and they expect a property to satisfy that request, with no excuses about costs or technical challenges or logistical hurdles.

Wireless communications will, increasingly, be a mainstay for hotels, buildings and commercial properties. But real estate investors need to prepare themselves for this trend, so everyone can benefit from this change. With the right partner, we can make this transition a success.

Headquartered in Leominster, Massachusetts, Copia Communications provides customized Internet solutions for businesses and hospitality clients throughout the Caribbean. Along with its team of expert technicians, Copia Communications installs and maintains a variety of Wi-Fi plans that meetthe needs of specific properties in a variety of leisure and professional settings.

Published: December 28, 2011

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