Prediction: AI Will Elevate Hospitality with Personalized, Human-Centric Service
“In 2025, AI is set to revolutionize the hospitality industry, ushering in a new age of SuperHuman Hospitality. In the year ahead, AI will be at the forefront of every conversation, but it’s not coming to take jobs, and it certainly won’t replace the human touch and service that the industry is known for – it will elevate it. By automating manual, time-consuming tasks like managing reservations, optimizing staffing, and predicting guest preferences, AI will free up hotel teams to focus on delivering exceptional, high-touch service. Innovations leveraging AI will empower staff to create personalized experiences that turn a stay into something unforgettable.” — Kinesh Patel, CTO & Co-Founder at SevenRooms
“Next year, hotels will prioritize technology that enhances guest experiences and drives competitive differentiation in a market where full brand loyalty is increasingly rare. To achieve this, hotels need solutions that provide real-time insights into guest behavior across their digital channels — websites and mobile apps — without disruption during updates. Building compliant, advanced digital identity and profile solutions will be critical, allowing hotels to personalize interactions and optimize engagement while integrating first-party data into advertising strategies to improve targeting and ROI. Ultimately, hotels will be looking to deliver seamless, personalized experiences while maximizing their operational and marketing investments.” — Bill Bruno, CEO, Celebrus
“AI is the key to true personalization in hospitality. Without AI, genuine personalization is unattainable. It’s the computational power that allows us to create unique experiences for each guest, transforming how we cater to individual needs and preferences.” — Philippe Ziade, Founder and CEO, Otonomus Hotel
“2025 will be the year when hotels around the world step up their guest communication and define the playground for AI tools. Success will favor those that can strike the right balance between automation and human interaction. We should expect to see more and more routine questions – such as check-in times, amenities, or local tips – being handled by conversational AI, while hotels will continue to escalate complex or sensitive issues to human agents. This hybrid approach will ensure guests feel valued at all times and that hoteliers can streamline their operations without sacrificing personal connection. For hotels, whether boutique or chain, speeding up response times and delivering accurate information will lead to more direct bookings and higher guest satisfaction. And for this reason, technologies that can enhance guest interactions without overwhelming staff will soon become a necessity. It’s all about creating an experience where technology supports, not replaces, the human touch that defines hospitality.” — Pormer Sarram, CEO, Visito
Prediction: AI-Powered Training Tools Will Increase
“I expect to see the use of scaled, AI-powered training and coaching tools growing in 2025 that allow CX experts to role-play with virtual customers, gaining skills and confidence cost-effectively before handling real interactions. This scalable training provides instant feedback, enabling CX teams to refine their skills continuously.” — Ana Vergara, Vice President of Client Solutions for the Travel & Hospitality industry, Teleperformance
Prediction: Hotels Will Use Tech to Monetize More Assets and Diversify Revenue Streams
“Space inventory will be a major trend for hotels and tech in 2025. Hotel and resort revenue beyond room nights is ripe for rapid expansion, and we’ve seen the beginnings of this in 2024 including parking spots, pool cabanas, meeting rooms, and day-use hotel rooms. Properties can now offer guests hourly, daily, nightly, and even monthly services, meaning diversified revenue from every square foot possible. More properties are realizing they can monetize these assets in new (and streamlined) ways using tech, so expect to see this shift continue and grow exponentially in the new year.” — Matthijs Welle, CEO, Mews
Prediction: Hoteliers Will Prioritize Consolidated Tech Ecosystems and Robust Data Security
“The hospitality industry will witness a convergence of technology solutions, with hoteliers consolidating their tech stacks to streamline operations and improve efficiency. This will involve partnering with vendors offering comprehensive suites of core solutions, minimizing integration challenges and data silos. Additionally, data security will emerge as a key competitive differentiator to maintain brand reputation and built trust with guests as the threat of cyberattacks continues to grow. As a result, hotels will invest even more in advanced cybersecurity measures. Furthermore, sustainability initiatives will gain momentum, with hotels adopting digital and cloud-based platforms to reduce energy consumption, minimize waste, and promote eco-conscious practices.” — Laura Calin, Senior Vice President, Oracle Hospitality
Prediction: AR/VR Will Enhance Guest Engagement
“Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) will redefine guest experiences by bridging the gap between physical and digital hospitality. AR will allow guests to explore virtual room previews, on-site amenities, or local attractions before arrival, while VR can create immersive pre-stay experiences like virtual property tours or destination showcases. These technologies will enhance guest engagement and help drive booking confidence.” — Katie Riddle, Global Retail Strategy Lead, Verizon Business
Prediction: Loyalty Programs Will Evolve into Personalized Experience Engines
“Recognizing and rewarding customers is a fundamental expectation today. In the coming year, loyalty programs will go beyond basic recognition, which rewards loyalty in a frictionless manner across business areas, to detailed recognition that leverages linked loyalty programs and data to understand and cater to individual customer preferences. Implementing these strategies will deliver meaningful interactions that customers will notice and value. By remembering guest purchase preferences or profile characteristics and offering rewards based on these, businesses can expect increased consumer spending across the board.” — Ashley Arlott, SVP, Commercial – European Card-Present at Shift4
Prediction: Digital Keys in Wallets Will Become the New Standard
“Over the past decade, digital keys have seen widespread adoption by the largest hotel brands. These are typically Bluetooth low-energy (BLE) keys that have to be initiated from a mobile app. However, the need to download an app and find the ‘initialize digital key’ button has been a barrier to meaningful utilization by the guests. The ability to put your room key directly into your Apple/Google Wallet has made this feature much more user friendly and is significantly driving up utilization by guests. Modern, cloud-based digital key infrastructure is also making the solutions much more reliable. Hyatt was the first large brand to innovate with Wallet keys, and we expect to see a big increase in the velocity of adoption by everyone from the biggest brands to independent/boutique hotels.” — Branigan Mulcahy, Co-Founder, Virdee
Prediction: Payment Flexibility Will Drive Loyalty and Boost Sales
“Expect to see wider adoption of different payment options that cater to diverse consumer preferences. Consumers admit availability of their preferred payment types influences their shopping choices so having a variety options—including mobile wallets, third-party apps and Buy Now Pay Later offerings—will help hoteliers make products and services more accessible and affordable while increasing sales and customer satisfaction. Payment flexibility and choice is about empowering customers with the freedom to choose the payment method that best suits their needs and financial situation. This personalized approach fosters loyalty and enhances the customer experience. Leveraging data analytics allows businesses to offer tailored payment options based on individual customer profiles, ultimately leading to a more streamlined and satisfying customer journey.” — Chris Kronenthal, President, FreedomPay
Prediction: Unified Entertainment Platforms Will Set Hotels Apart
“In-room entertainment is essential for travelers who want the comforts of home and are willing to pay a premium for familiar entertainment services. As guest expectations rise, the demand for unified entertainment platforms offering live TV, on-demand content, and music will grow, especially given that 61% of business travelers, 61% of leisure travelers with children, and 45% of Loyalty Club members would pay extra for such access . Guests are increasingly accustomed to seamless, personalized streaming experiences at home, and they now expect the same level of convenience and variety when they travel. Hotels that meet this demand can capture additional revenue and foster stronger guest satisfaction.” — Kim Twiggs, Associate Vice President of Market Development, DIRECTV HOSPITALITY
Prediction: Contactless Technology Will Elevate Convenience and Guest Experience
“We’ve seen across the board, a demand and increase in contactless check-ins and virtual concierge services. These technological advancements have become indispensable tools that improve efficiency while adding layers of convenience and engagement. Contactless check-in and check-out give guests the ease to arrive at their leisure and not have to worry about running down to the desk to check out exactly by 11 am. It allows more comfortability and memorable experiences.” – Eric Gavin, President of Operations, Makeready
Prediction: Blockchain Will Enhance Data Security and Transparency in Hospitality IT
“Beyond its financial applications, blockchain offers ways to secure data integrity and transparency. In IT management, this could mean safer, more reliable data exchanges across platforms and vendors without compromising privacy or security. (Side Note: Blockchain booking has been out there for a few years, but has not taken off yet.)” – Mark Meuleman, Chief Revenue Officer, Dense Air
Prediction: Smarter Tools and Training Will Drive Revenue and Guest Loyalty at the Front Desk
“When supported by effective training, front desk staff communicate more clearly, reduce misunderstandings and create more positive interactions. This also creates a more engaging and rewarding work environment for employees, which translates into improved performance and guest satisfaction. Looking ahead, success lies in equipping staff with the right technology and training to deliver exceptional guest experiences. By doing do, hotels can create sustained profitability while creating deeper connections and loyalty with their guests.” — Geoff Toffetti, CEO, Frontline Performance Group
