At this year’s ITB, Hospitality Net took to the show floor to ask a big question as part of the Hospitality Net World Panel Viewpoint: What is the single biggest impact AI will have on hospitality? We gathered insights from 20 industry leaders who shared their thoughts on how AI is transforming guest experiences, revenue management, operations, and the very fabric of hospitality itself.
Personalization & Guest Experience
AI-driven personalization was a recurring theme. Alexandra Fjällman (Atomize) highlighted how AI is already reshaping guest interactions with tools like Smart Tip, which provides real-time insights to front desk staff, enabling them to personalize greetings and service. Pedro Colaco (GuestCentric Systems) echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that travelers—especially Gen Z—now expect booking experiences as intuitive as Netflix or TikTok, with AI predicting and curating options tailored to individual needs.
Juanjo Rodriguez (The Hotels Network) took personalization a step further, introducing KITT, an AI-powered receptionist that ensures guests receive instant support in multiple languages. Angel Ferrufino (CRQLAR) focused on AI’s ability to extract valuable insights from unstructured guest data, allowing hotels to better understand their customers and create hyper-personalized marketing campaigns.
Revenue Management & Dynamic Pricing
Revenue management is undergoing a major transformation thanks to AI. Piergiorgio Schirru (Blastness) predicted that direct bookings will become more dynamic with AI-powered conversational selling, bringing a concierge-like experience into the booking moment. Gerhard Wasem (Duetto) introduced the concept of hyper-personalized pricing, where AI tailors room rates and services based on guest behavior, rather than just broad market segments.
Andrew Rubinacci (FLYR Hospitality) emphasized that AI is shifting revenue management from reactive pricing adjustments to proactive commercial strategy. AI is automating routine rate updates, allowing revenue managers to focus on long-term growth. Bruno Strati (Brainy RMS) showcased Eddie, an AI-powered revenue assistant that enables hoteliers to manage pricing through voice commands, reducing time spent on spreadsheets.
Operational Efficiency & Automation
AI is eliminating many of the manual, repetitive tasks that slow down hotel operations. Florian Montag (Apaleo) described AI agents as the future of hospitality, seamlessly integrating with open tech ecosystems to automate complex workflows. Stephen Burke (Robosize ME) emphasized the role of digital workers—AI-powered bots that handle back-office tasks, allowing hotel staff to focus on delivering exceptional guest service.
Sandrine Zechbauer (RMS) argued that too much time in hospitality is spent on logistics rather than actual hospitality. AI is streamlining check-ins, paperwork, and admin work so teams can focus on guests. Custódio Barreiros (EIP MGT GmbH) reinforced this by advocating for AI tools that empower employees rather than replace them, ensuring they can offer better service while reducing burnout.
AI-Powered Search, Booking & Payments
AI is redefining the booking process in fundamental ways. Mark Fancourt (TRAVHOTECH) predicted that AI will revolutionize travel search and booking, finally making the long-discussed connected trip a reality, where AI handles the entire travel journey from flights to accommodations. James Lemon (Stripe) focused on AI’s role in automating payments, enabling frictionless transactions where travelers can book their trips with minimal manual input.
The Future of Hospitality Tech & AI Readiness
For AI to reach its full potential, the industry must address challenges in data management and system integration. Mario Cardone (ZapCom) warned that many hotels are not yet AI-ready, as they still struggle with data silos and interoperability issues. Michael Cohen (GAIN) predicted that AI will disrupt not just hotel operations, but also the technology vendor landscape, leading to the rise of lean, AI-driven companies capable of competing with industry giants.
The Road Ahead
While AI is already having a profound impact on hospitality, many industry leaders agree that we’re only scratching the surface. Whether through hyper-personalization, revenue optimization, automation, or predictive intelligence, AI is redefining how hotels operate and engage with guests. The challenge now is not whether to adopt AI, but how to implement it in a way that enhances—not replaces—the human touch that defines hospitality.
As the industry moves forward, one thing is clear: hotels that embrace AI-driven innovation will lead the future, while those that resist risk being left behind.
