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HITEC 2025: Record-Breaking Attendance, Start-up Momentum, and a Look Ahead to San Antonio

At HITEC 2025 in Indianapolis, we caught up with Frank Wolfe, CEO of Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), to reflect on a highly successful edition of the conference. With record-breaking numbers, exciting innovation from new exhibitors, and a packed exhibition floor, this year’s event confirmed HITEC’s role as the global stage for hospitality technology. We also looked ahead to 2026, which will bring the event to San Antonio, Texas.

Floor Bleeker on the Rise of AI Agents, Robotics, and the Future Tech Stack of Hospitality

At HITEC 2025 in Indianapolis, we sat down with Floor Bleeker, a well-known voice in hospitality technology, to explore the future of AI in the industry. The conversation quickly moved from generative AI to autonomous agents, robotics, and the potential disruption of long-standing tech systems. Drawing from his corporate background and current advisory work, Floor offered a clear-eyed view of how fast things are evolving, and what it could mean for hoteliers, vendors, and guests.

Infor’s David Poprawka on Sustainable AI, Human-Centred KPIs, and the True Role of Technology in Hospitality

At HITEC 2025 in Indianapolis, we spoke with David Poprawka from Infor about the evolving role of AI in hospitality, not from a trend-driven perspective, but with a focus on long-term value, sustainability, and trust. Rather than chasing the latest buzzwords, Infor is building an architecture that helps hotels adapt at their own pace, with a strong foundation and a people-first mindset. David shared insights on the pace of change, the human side of data, and why it is time to rethink how we measure success.

Seamless by Design: Why Unified Hotel Tech is No Longer Optional

As hotels evolve beyond stitched together systems and fragmented data, Shiji is betting big on unified architecture that blends flexibility with scale. Speaking at HITEC 2025 in Indianapolis, Ryan King, Senior Vice President for the Americas at Shiji Group, joined me for a conversation that touched on the heart of this transformation and why hoteliers can no longer afford to ignore it.

Hospitality Solutions on Retailing, AI, and the Future of Hotel Commerce

At HITEC 2025 in Indianapolis, we spoke with Chris Boyle, Senior Vice President and Chief Business and Strategy Officer at Hospitality Solutions, about the company’s new chapter under TPG ownership and its evolving vision for hotel commerce. With decades of experience and a foundation rooted in reliability, Hospitality Solutions is expanding its capabilities, from distribution and booking to payments and AI-driven guest interaction. Chris shared insights on the latest innovations, including Retail Studio, Nexus Pay, and Concierge AI, and how Hospitality Solutions is positioning itself as a leader in the era of conversational commerce.

How Duetto’s New RPOs Framework Is Driving a Shift from Revenue to Profit Intelligence

At HITEC 2025 in Indianapolis, we sat down with David Woolenberg, CEO and President of Duetto, to explore how the company is transforming hotel revenue management through its new Revenue and Profit Operating System (RPOs). With the recent acquisition of HotStats and a sharp focus on integrating data, Duetto is moving beyond traditional room-centric strategies, placing profit, and decision-making, at the heart of its platform. In this interview, David shares how RPOs will empower hoteliers to break silos, scale decisions, and focus on what matters most.

EHL Innovation Rewind: Caty Batten on Net Positive Hospitality and the Case for Regeneration

During the EHL Open Innovation Summit in Lausanne, we spoke with Caty Batten, Co-founder and CEO at Intaconnected and The Nature of Business Lab, about how the hospitality industry can move beyond traditional sustainability and embrace a regenerative approach. Our conversation focused on the Net Positive Hospitality Pathway, a practical tool for building resilience and long-term value, and why regeneration must become the new standard for climate, nature, and people.

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.

EHL Innovation Rewind: Will Guillaume Foussier on Coaching, AI, and the Future of Organizational Transformation

At the EHL Open Innovation Summit, we spoke with Will Guillaume Foussier, CEO of AceUp, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping revenue strategies in hospitality and why coaching remains one of the most powerful drivers of lasting change. Will introduced his ITO framework, a structured model that connects individual growth with team alignment and organizational transformation.

EHL Innovation Rewind: Ásta Kristín Sigurjónsdóttir & Milena S. Nikolova on Rethinking Tech, Travel Behavior, and Community-Centered Success

At the EHL Open Innovation Summit, we had the opportunity to speak with Ásta Kristín Sigurjónsdóttir, CEO of the Iceland Tourism Cluster, and Milena S. Nikolova, Ph.D., Chief Behavior Officer and Co-founder of BehaviorSMART. Our conversation explored how artificial intelligence might transform the way we plan and experience travel, how technology must be used with behavioral insight to enhance rather than diminish hospitality, and why the industry must rethink success in terms of community well-being—not just business outcomes.

Shiji Group and iPort Showcase Next-Gen Hospitality Tech at HITEC 2025

Shiji Group, a global leader in hospitality technology, is set to make waves at this year’s HITEC with a series of activations centered around mobility, personalization, and integrated digital solutions. In a joint session with iPort, Shiji will explore how iOS technology is transforming hospitality operations, showcasing forward-thinking approaches to property-wide tech investments.

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: Nelson Ole Reiyia on Merging Tradition, Technology, and True Community Partnership

During the EHL Open Innovation Summit, we had the pleasure of speaking with Nelson Ole Reiyia, CEO and Co-founder of Nashulai Maasai Conservancy. Our conversation explored how technology, particularly AI, can be used to enhance hospitality without losing its human soul, and why the future of travel lies in genuine partnerships with local communities, not just surface-level consultation.

EHL Innovation Rewind: Mohammed Marghalani on Regenerative Hospitality and Reconnecting Farms and Hotels

During our time at the EHL Open Innovation Summit, we caught up with Mohammed Marghalani, Chief of Franchised Assets Operations at Dan Company, to discuss how regenerative hospitality can transform the connection between agriculture and tourism. Our conversation explored why farm-to-table needs purpose, not just marketing, and how Dan is helping local farmers deliver authentic, high-quality products directly to guests, creating a hospitality experience that is as ethical as it is enriching.

Agentic AI: What It Is, How It’s Different, and Why It Matters in Hospitality

When we say “AI agents,” we're not talking about the suit-wearing, memory-wiping types from Men in Black, but these new agents might be just as transformative. In the world of hotel tech, AI agents are emerging as intelligent, task-driven assistants that work behind the scenes to simplify operations, boost efficiency, and create better guest experiences. Instead of battling aliens, these agents are here to tackle fragmented systems, reduce manual workloads, and unlock a smarter, more connected future for hospitality. And unlike the old “app-for-everything” approach, agentic AI offers a more agile, scalable way to run your hotel.

EHL Innovation Rewind: Romy Abbrederis on AI Agents, Email Overload, and the Future of Hotel Workflows

During the EHL Open Innovation Summit, we spoke with Romy Abbrederis, Co-founder of Lobby, about how generative AI is reshaping hotel operations behind the scenes. Our conversation explored how Lobby tackles the complexity of reservation emails, why modular systems are key to adapting to different hotel needs, and how AI can support hospitality teams without replacing the human element.

EHL Innovation Rewind: Margot Stuart on Blockchain, Digital Passports, and Building Trust in Luxury Hospitality

At the EHL Open Innovation Summit, we sat down with Margot Stuart, Co-founder of OriginAll and ORIGINALLUXURY, to explore how blockchain and digital product passports are reshaping trust and transparency in hospitality. Our conversation looked at how these technologies can go beyond compliance to unlock deeper guest engagement, emotional storytelling, and a new kind of luxury experience rooted in authenticity.

EHL Innovation Rewind: Anderson Yang on Innovation, Heritage, and the Power of Community

At the EHL Open Innovation Summit in Lausanne, we spoke with Anderson Yang, EAM to the General Manager’s Office at Yun Ding Food & Beverage Co. Ltd, about how artificial intelligence is shaping the future of hospitality, how innovation can thrive when rooted in tradition, and why building genuine community through storytelling is more powerful than conventional marketing in today’s evolving landscape.

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.