Forget Best-of-Breed: Why All-in-One Systems Are the Future of Hotel Technology
Should the front desk team spend time switching between systems to ensure their have the latest information about the guest? Or just have it all on their main dashboard?
Opinion Articles
Reinventing Hotel Marketing in the Age of AI: Customised Campaigns Now Within Reach
Operating in an industry still dependent on Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), hoteliers often face a dilemma: getting noticed while controlling marketing costs. This is particularly challenging even as projections show direct digital bookings will overtake OTAs as the dominant channel by 2030. As a result, relationship marketing, particularly email marketing, remains underutilised despite its vast potential. With global email marketing revenue projected to reach $17.9 billion by 2027, the channel’s growth shows no sign of slowing down. However, artificial intelligence (AI) now offers a unique opportunity to reinvigorate this channel, driven by several factors: the evolution of the GDPR framework promoting consent-based relationships, social media fatigue, and a growing need for more authentic and relevant guest engagement.
By Celine Chaussegros, VP, Global Property Sales, Sojern
Why Hoteliers are Embracing Next-Gen Tech AI, Augmented Reality
In today’s hospitality landscape, technology isn’t just a support function — it’s a strategic asset that’s transforming how hotel operators connect with guests and operate more efficiently. As an owner/ operator of 45 hotels across the U.S., we are witnessing an exciting evolution in hotel technology, and at the center of it all is artificial intelligence (AI).
By Ted Jabara, Senior Vice President of Technical Systems, Meyer Jabara
The Financial Impact of Service Robots in Hospitality: An Employee-Centric Perspective
In recent years, the tourism and hospitality industry has undergone a rapid shift toward automation. One of the most visible aspects of this transformation is the emergence of service robots—machines that deliver room service, clean public areas, serve meals, assist with check-in, and even provide concierge services. While much of the discourse has focused on guest satisfaction and operational efficiency, a growing body of attention is now being paid to how employees perceive the financial implications of this technology—both in terms of their own income and the business outcomes for their employers.
By Ahmet Vatan, Visiting professor, Hotelschool The Hague
Unlocking Hotel Potential: The Top 10 New Mews Features Every Hotelier Should Use
One of the great benefits of cloud-native technology is the ability to move at pace. Technology must move quickly to help hoteliers find new efficiency gains and revenue streams, and that’s exactly what Mews has been doing.
EHL Innovation Rewind: Thierry Teyssier on Privilege, Impermanence, and the Emotion at the Heart of Hospitality
At the EHL Open Innovation Summit in Lausanne, we spoke with Thierry Teyssier, Founder and CEO of Dar Ahlam and 700’000 heures Impact. Our conversation focused on the emotional essence of hospitality, why he sees privilege as more meaningful than luxury, and how impermanence can open the door to more human-centered guest experiences.
Rebuilding Hotel Tech Stacks for The Agentic AI Era
A new kind of traveller is emerging, one who may never visit your website, click an ad, or speak to a human. Instead, they rely on their personal AI agent to plan, compare, negotiate, and book every aspect of their trip. This shift marks a seismic change in how travel is discovered and transacted, demanding a fundamental rethink of hotel technology stacks.
By Philip Barton, Senior Director of Analytics in Hospitality, IBS Software
Why Legacy PMSs Are Holding Hotels Back and How Cloud Technology Solves It
As hospitality evolves, hotels must streamline operations, harness data more effectively, and enhance efficiency to stay competitive. The Property Management System (PMS) is at the core of hotel management, an essential tool connecting various hotel functions. As more business shifts online and seamless digital experiences become the expectation, PMSs must integrate with internal and external systems, including POS, front desk, and housekeeping. Yet, most PMSs were built for a different era, making it difficult to support the growing web of integrations required in today's digital-first environment.
By Steffan Berelowitz, VP and Commercial Head of Hospitality, IBS Software
Unified Data Layers: Driving Personalisation, Guest Satisfaction, Revenue
In a recent podcast on dojo.live, I spoke about the game-changing role of a unified data layer in staying competitive, especially in an era driven by AI and other emerging technologies.
By Binu Mathews, Director & CEO, IDS NEXT
The Illusion of Innovation: Why True Progress in Hospitality Technology Demands More Than Just New Features
In the bustling world of hospitality technology, we’re often captivated by the next shiny object – the latest AI, the newest automation, the trendiest platform. There’s a pervasive narrative that simply adopting “new” equates to “innovative” and, by extension, “better.” But as someone who’s spent decades navigating the intricate dance between operational realities and technological aspirations, I often find myself questioning this surface-level enthusiasm. True progress isn’t just about integrating a new feature; it’s about fundamentally transforming a business for the better.
By Mark Fancourt, Co-Founder & Principal Consultant, TRAVHOTECH
Redefining Hospitality: Applying AI, the Right Way Across Your Hotel Infrastructure
AI is not just a buzzword in hospitality anymore; it is a game-changer. But here’s the catch: implementing AI the right way is more than plugging in a chatbot or automating a few emails. For hotels, it demands a holistic transformation, one rooted in thoughtful infrastructure, human empowerment, and strategic clarity.
By Are Morch, Digital Transformation Coach for Hotels, Are Morch, Digital Transformation Coach
EHL Innovation Rewind: Christine R. Gould on Breaking Silos, Remixing Traditions, and the Next Gen Innovation Stack
At the EHL Open Innovation Summit, we had the chance to sit down with Christine R. Gould, Founder and CEO of GIGA, for a conversation about the future of innovation in hospitality. Christine shared her perspective on why the next big shift won’t come from a single technology, but from a new mindset—one that values remixing over reinvention, embraces collaboration across sectors, and brings young changemakers directly into the innovation process.
EHL Innovation Rewind: Lucas Nottaris on Agentic Systems, Human-Centered Personalization, and the Future of Consent
During the EHL Open Innovation Summit in Lausanne, we caught up with Lucas Nottaris, Partner at Visium, to discuss how agentic systems are reshaping the guest experience, why personalization must be guided by consent and human judgment, and how the hospitality industry can build trust by giving guests more control over their data.
EHL Innovation Rewind: Niels de Fraguier on Regeneration, Collective Intelligence, and the Responsibility of Innovation
During the EHL Open Innovation Summit, we spoke with Niels de Fraguier, Founder of Empowering Potential, about the role of innovation in shaping a more inclusive and regenerative future. As an entrepreneur, ideator, and author, he shared his perspective on why technology must be rooted in life-centered thinking, how regeneration goes beyond sustainability, and why building a better future means shifting from individual gain to collective responsibility.
EHL Innovation Rewind: Ian Millar on Fixing the Tech Mindset Before Chasing Tech Solutions
At the EHL 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.
Meetings and Events: Technology Tools and Trends and Benchmarks
Meeting attendees and delegates are looking for value and the opportunity to get something out of a meeting, event, or conference they are attending. Recent economic slowdowns have shown that companies understand the value of their business events
By Robert O’Halloran, Professor Director, School of Hospitality Leadership, East Carolina University
The AI Advantage: Hoteliers ROI of an AI First Mindset
No longer a "nice to have," AI is becoming essential to operational success for hotel teams. According to the Nielsen Norman Group, generative AI can increase user productivity by an astounding 66%. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found that skilled professionals who integrated AI into their workflows experienced a 40% productivity boost. These aren’t incremental improvements, they represent paradigm shifts.
By Michael J. Goldrich, Founder and Chief advisor, Vivander Advisors
EHL Innovation Rewind: Thomas Meier on AI, Personalization, and Preserving the Rituals of Luxury at Jumeirah
At the EHL Open Innovation Summit in Lausanne, we had the chance to sit down with Thomas Meier, CEO of Jumeirah Group, for an open conversation about the future of luxury hospitality. Our discussion touched on how artificial intelligence is helping to free up teams for more meaningful guest interactions, why true personalization must stay human and contextual, and how innovation can thrive without losing the timeless rituals that define luxury service.
Guest Experience: 10 Do’s and Don’ts for a Great Guest Experience Strategy
If there’s one takeaway for 2025, it’s this: Guest experience isn’t a department – it’s a mindset.
By Danica Smith, Guest Experience Strategist & GAIN Advisor, MorningStar GX
Artificial Intelligence: No Substitute for the Human Touch in Hospitality
There is a growing body of knowledge focusing on the influence that artificial intelligence (AI) is having on the hospitality industry. What the evidence suggests is that for hospitality businesses, the impact of AI to date has been very positive. Hospitality marketers, for example, are using AI powered systems to analyze vast amounts of customer data, such as booking history, preferences, and online behavior. This information is then used to create personalized recommendations for destinations, accommodation, activities and more.
By Simon Hudson, Professor in Tourism & Hospitality, University of South Carolina