Robots are filling staff shortages in the hospitality industry.
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Warrnambool born-and-raised Mick Slockwitch is helping solve the worker shortfall with service robots.
He will present three robots at the Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism great expectations conference in Warrnambool on September 5, 2023.
Mr Slockwitch works for Melbourne-based SoftBank, a Japanese artificial intelligence and robotics company.
He said he understood the hardships the hospitality industry faced because his mother was part owner of Warrnambool-based Japanese restaurant Shiraya Sushi and Deli.
Mr Slockwitch said robots were used in the hospitality industry to save time and fill staff shortages.
"This robot is not by all means here to remove jobs, it's here to help and assist with that," he said.
Mr Slockwitch said delivery robots could carry between 30 and 40 kilograms of food, drinks, dishes and other items.
Service robots are already being used in the region's hospitality industry - Warrnambool's Elements Restaurant and Bar trialled one and Port Fairy restaurant Alexo Pizza and Bistro trialled and implemented another.
Mr Slockwitch will also be joined by a concierge robot called Pepper that can interact with people.
"In a hotel setting you can get your local tourism destination recommendations, it can dance and it can put your logo on the screen because it has a tablet on its chest," he said.
Mr Slockwitch said the robot could translate and speak 30 languages for the millions of international tourists visiting Victoria.
The final one joining him can assist with hotel room service which included opening and closing doors, travelling on lifts and carrying dishes and linen.
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Other presenters at the conference include Tourism Australia, Visit Victoria, the Victorian Tourism Industry Council and Google.
Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism general manager Liz Price said the conference would explore consumer trends and behaviour and teach businesses how to meet their customers' expectations.
The conference runs at Warrnambool's Lighthouse Theatre on September 5 from 9am to 5pm.
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Lillian Altman
Lillian is an experienced journalist who joined Warrnambool Standard in late 2021. She has a particular interest in writing stories on the arts and culture, health, education, breaking news, police stories, as well as human interest and profiles.
Lillian is an experienced journalist who joined Warrnambool Standard in late 2021. She has a particular interest in writing stories on the arts and culture, health, education, breaking news, police stories, as well as human interest and profiles.
