By now, you’ve probably seen these strange images in magazines and in other media and if you are not familiar with them, have wondered about their purpose. Special barcodes? A puzzle to decipher? Alien hieroglyphics? Well, they are QR codes and they have changed the way we do business.

Developed by Toyota of Japan in 1994, the QR or “quick response” code is a two-dimensional barcode that allows its contents to be decoded at high speed. Initially used for tracking parts in vehicle manufacturing, QR codes are now used more widely in commercial endeavors and can be read on most smartphones.

QR codes have sprung up everywhere in the last few years, the hotel included. In the hotel industry, they are mainly being used for guest interaction, to:

• Entice guests to check out hotel facilities or participate in hotel events.

• Run competitions “hidden” in QR-codes that identify a guests’ participation and involvement rates, and drive up revenue when promoting offers, packages or online win opportunities.

• Generate flexible earning opportunities through additional functionality, such as dedicated web pages for guests and advertisers, online guest surveys and other information.

QR codes are also now present in hotel rooms due to international brands who are using the fast growing technology to engage with the typically elusive business traveller. One creative example of QR code use in the hotel industry is a pilot of Acentic Media with MasterCard. MasterCard used a QR code presented on the Acentic in-room entertainment system and Internet access landing page for hotel guests that allowed the guests to enter a competition to win Champions League football tickets. A significant number of guests did just that.

Even though they have been around since 1994, the use of QR codes has only recently become commonplace. We suspect that the future holds more interesting uses for the technology, especially in the hotel industry, as we learn how to better connect with and respond to our guests.

Have you encountered QR codes in the hotel industry? How were they used? If you are a hotelier or brand, how are you experimenting with QR codes and what are the results?