70% of what we watch on Netflix is algorithmically suggested. 60% of what we buy on Amazon is driven by predictive logic. For Gen Alpha, raised on TikTok's "For You" feed, this is already the norm, but the trend now spans all generations. That same paradigm is reshaping our industry, from in-room personalization to AI agents booking entire stays. But at what point does personalization stop enhancing the guest experience… and start creating echo chambers?

Uli Pillau
Uli Pillau
Founder and CEO of Apaleo

The drive towards personalisation in travel isn't new, but its scale and speed today raise new questions. The real issue isn't if we're personalising too much and not leaving room for spontaneous discovery. It's about the intention. Are we using data to support guests, or are we narrowing their experience?

When personalisation becomes rigid or overly templated, it stops being useful. It can make the experience feel repetitive, even frustrating. The goal behind personalisation should not be about predicting what guests want, but giving them more control and agency over their experience.  

When personalisation becomes rigid or overly templated, it stops being useful. It can make the experience feel repetitive, even frustrating. The goal behind personalisation should not ONLY be about predicting what guests want, but ALSO giving them more control and agency over their experience. 

For hospitality businesses, that means having the tools to design personalisation in line with their own brand promise. Incorporating this principle into the guest journey requires open, flexible systems that support adaptable workflows. The key is to have a system that can keep pace with changing guest expectations.

AI-based Travel Assistants are becoming hugely successful in today"s world, and any existing OTA or distribution channel should be very concerned they will be impacting their business very soon.

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