At theEHL Open Innovation Summit, we had the chance to speak with Ian Millar, Senior Lecturer at EHL Hospitality Business School. Our conversation focused on why the biggest challenge in hospitality tech today is not the technology itself, but how we think about it. Ian argues that before adopting new tools, the industry must adopt a new mindset. It should prioritize understanding the real problems, embrace frontline insights, and welcome a culture of curiosity and change.
Which innovation or technology do you think will have the biggest impact in our industry over the next 5 to 10 years?
If I could answer that perfectly, I would not need to work anymore. But here is what I see. One of the simplest yet most overlooked shifts is still cloud computing. It might sound basic, but we have not properly adopted it at scale in hospitality. It is foundational. Without getting into the usual buzzwords, the reality is many in the industry still do not have their tech stack in order.
We need to fall in love with the problem, not the solution. Too often we jump to the latest tech trend without truly understanding what issue we are trying to solve. Our industry is still full of manual processes, especially in the back office—things like finance, reconciliation, and revenue management. These areas are ripe for automation, but the technology is secondary. What matters is understanding what is broken and fixing that.
Who is responsible for shifting the narrative—from loving solutions to loving the problem?
It is not just the CTO, the CEO, or academia. It is people who are passionate about solving problems. It could be anyone who takes the time to sit down and ask the right questions. Personally, I believe it should start with the frontline. Go ask your staff, “What is one thing you do every day that you hate doing?” That is where the real problems are.
We need to move away from top-down strategies and start listening. There is often a disconnect between what general managers think is happening and what actually happens on the floor. Culture plays a huge role here. And yes, I once spent two weeks working in a retail store tagging shirts and packing bags just to understand what needed to change. It was the most insightful thing I ever did.
Can you tell us more about your article on the “technology mindset” for the Hotel Yearbook?
The article explores the difference between a traditional mindset and a technology mindset. Hospitality has always been about people and service. That is valid. But guests’ expectations are changing. Why should it be so radical to let someone check into a five-star hotel themselves if they want to? Technology should offer choice. Unfortunately, many decision-makers in the industry neither like nor understand tech. And we do not have enough technology advisers at the executive level. Tech is often treated as an afterthought. The mindset needs to shift from resistance to curiosity.
Does academia have a responsibility in helping drive this change?
Absolutely. That is my job. I train the future managers of hospitality, and it is my role to challenge the norms. I ask students: does this process still make sense in 2025? We need more mavericks, more people willing to shake things up. Hospitality is a wonderful industry, but we are risk averse. We like the status quo. If we want to stay relevant and create better guest experiences, we must think differently and mix things up.
About the EHL Open Innovation Summit 2025
This interview was recorded during the EHL Open Innovation Summit in Lausanne, where Hospitality Net joined as official media partner.
The event brought together a global mix of thinkers and doers to explore the future of hospitality, food, and travel through open innovation. What made it special was the mix of ideas, formats, and people. It was not only about tech or talks. It was also about people showing up, working together, and sharing energy in real time.
Key Figures
- 385 participants
- 48 speakers and contributors from more than 20 countries
- 7 innovation challenges collectively addressed
- 45 sessions
- 25 student volunteers
- 15 F&B startups letting us taste the future
- 1.5 days of connection, learning, and co-creation
Key Insights from the Summit
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A new benchmark for hospitality innovation
The summit set a new standard by weaving together AI, sustainability, regeneration, and human connection – showing that innovation in hospitality, luxury and food must be holistic, human-centric, and purpose-driven. Participants repeatedly highlighted the need to go beyond efficiency and into meaningful transformation. -
From knowledge exchange to real-time co-creation
More than just a series of talks, the summit was an activation space – a living lab where diverse minds worked together on pressing challenges, from regenerative tourism to circular luxury to AI in guest experience. It was a showcase of collective intelligence in motion. -
Collaboration as the engine of systems change
Open Innovation came alive not as a buzzword, but as a relational practice. From panelists to students, from global explorers to startup founders, everyone was invited to co-create, connect dots, and contribute. Participants repeatedly said they experienced true collaboration across boundaries, industry, sector, age, and background. -
The power of presence: hearts, minds, and hands
Whether walking in the forest, painting together, or debating future systems, attendees embraced the idea that innovation isn’t only about tech and metrics – it’s also about embodied experience, slowing down to speed up, and nurturing a regenerative mindset. -
The future is “AND” – not “either/or”
A recurring takeaway: we must stop choosing between extremes. The future is tech AND human, healthy AND delicious, profitable AND impactful. This “integration mindset” is already informing how leaders, startups, and educators present are reshaping their strategies. -
The beginning of a long-term movement
Attendees described the summit as the start of something much bigger – a platform for experimentation, learning, and alliance-building. The EHL Innovation Hub was recognized not only as an academic powerhouse, but as a true catalyst for regenerative innovation across hospitality, service, food, and travel.
