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AI, Chat Agents, and the Race to Digital Transformation in Hospitality

AI is no longer just a buzzword—it's transforming hospitality at a rapid pace, and Cendyn's Michael Bennett believes the biggest AI breakthroughs are already here. Speaking at ITB, Bennett highlighted AI-powered call centers and contextual chat agents as two of the most impactful innovations, boosting efficiency while reducing labor costs.Through Cendyn's partnership with Poly AI, hotels can now fully automate voice reservations, allowing human...

By Michael Bennett and Simone Puorto

Beyond automation, Bennett sees AI reshaping revenue management and CRM strategies, making personalization at scale a reality. However, he warns that hospitality's traditional tech silos are holding the industry back. To unlock AI's full potential, hotels need a unified digital strategy that integrates proactive upselling, predictive analytics, and seamless guest interactions across all touchpoints.

Looking ahead, Bennett predicts a major shift in travel bookings—moving away from traditional search engines toward AI-powered, social-driven booking ecosystems. He points to WeChat-style super apps as a model that could redefine how travelers discover, plan, and book stays. With the industry's accelerated digital adoption post-pandemic, Bennett is confident that in just a year, AI discussions will evolve from experimentation to full-scale industry transformation.

Key Takeaways

  • AI-driven automation is already changing hospitality – AI-powered call centers and chat agents are reducing costs and improving service.
  • Voice reservations are going fully AI – Cendyn's Poly AI partnership is automating entire booking conversations, freeing human agents for complex guest needs.
  • Personalization at scale is the new revenue frontier – AI-driven CRM and revenue management will redefine how hotels engage and convert guests.
  • Tech silos must be eliminated – A unified digital strategy is key to unlocking AI's full potential across operations, marketing, and guest experience.
  • The future of travel bookings is AI-driven – Expect a shift from search engines to super apps, reshaping how guests discover and book hotels.

Cendyn's vision is clear: AI isn't just about automation—it's about revolutionizing revenue, personalization, and the entire booking journey for a smarter, guest-first hospitality industry.

Technology Technology
Michael Bennett
Michael Bennett
President & CEO, Cendyn, Cendyn™

Michael oversees global marketing, sales development and brand creative at Cendyn. He has over 22 years of international management experience, working with companies such as KSL Resorts & Capital, White Lodging, Knight- Ridder, The Nature Conservancy and Eastman Kodak. His specialties lie in marketing, ecommerce/digital and mobile implementations, all with a proven track record of success.

Simone Puorto
Simone Puorto
Head of Emerging Trends and Strategic Innovation, Hospitality Net

Simone Puorto is a techno-philosopher, consultant with over 25 years of international experience, and the prolific author of five best-selling books exploring the intersection of technology and the travel industry.

Cendyn™
Supplier

Cendyn is a global hospitality cloud-based technology company that enables hotels to drive revenue, maximize profitability, and create deeper connections with guests through its integrated solutions. Serving hoteliers for nearly 30 years, Cendyn drives commercial success for hotels through its Find, Book, Grow promise: find the right guests; drive them to book direct, and grow loyalty and revenue across the spectrum of digital guest interactions.

Hospitality Net
Press & Media

Founded in 1994 in Maastricht, the Netherlands, Hospitality Net is the #1 B2B portal for global hotel professionals and one of the longest-running independent hospitality B2B publications in the world. Hospitality Net acts as a neutral broker and publisher of hotel business information, built on a membership model for all stakeholders in the global hotel industry.