Sitting at the crossroads of tradition and AI: What lies ahead for hotel stars?

Dr. Dimitris Koutoulas, tourism consultant and Assistant Professor of Tourism and Hotel Management, explores what lies ahead for traditional hotel star ratings in an AI-driven world. He explains why official classifications still matter alongside guest reviews, how rigid or outdated criteria can distort hotel development, and how cross-border initiatives like Hotelstars Union point to a more harmonised future. 

In an industry defined by constant change, one feature has remained surprisingly stable for decades: the good old hotel stars. I remember that around 15 years ago, when guest-review platforms such as TripAdvisor were becoming increasingly influential, many predicted that official star ratings would soon become obsolete. Then came the “inflationary” pressure from supposedly six-star brands and even hotels that claimed to be worthy of seven stars. Add to that the stance of several major hotel companies, which believe that their highly recognizable and clearly positioned brands render star ratings unnecessary.

Yet hotel stars persist – still firmly anchored within their traditional range of one to five. Even in countries where classification is voluntary, hoteliers continue to see value in paying for receiving an official rating. It is telling that, when given the option to operate without stars, many owners still prefer to provide guests with the assurance that an objective and recognized system stands behind their promise of quality. The market has a very good appreciation of what hotel stars represent and travellers keep relying on these symbols when choosing their accommodation.

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The Hotel Yearbook 2026 - Annual Edition

The hotel industry in 2026 finds itself at the meeting point of powerful, converging forces: rapid technological progress, climate urgency, shifting guest expectations, labour market disruption and economic realignment. This edition of The HOTEL Yearbook looks at how hotel organisations respond, not by choosing one direction over another, but by designing integrated strategies that combine digital and human, global and local, automation and empathy. A large share of this year’s contributions focuses in particular on artificial intelligence and its growing influence across almost every segment of hospitality, confirming AI as one of the defining themes of this moment. Bringing together expert voices from around the world, the publication explores strategy, technology, sustainability, finance, asset management, food and beverage, human resources, design and more, all through the lens of intentional hybridity in an age of convergence. The message is clear: in 2026, hybridity is no longer optional; it is strategic, and it will be the leaders who approach it with real intention who shape the future of our industry.
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