As the countdown begins to Future Hospitality Summit – FHS World in Dubai later this month, we put the spotlight on Innovation & Technology, one of the content tracks at this year’s conference designed to explore the transformative trends in hospitality.
We asked eight tech leaders what’s next for the industry and their answers paint a picture of an industry on the cusp of transformation, where AI, data, automation, and personalisation converge, but the human touch remains essential. With input from Asif Alidina, Co-Founder and CEO, Inntelo AI; Daumantas Grigaravicius, Head of Middle East, Adyen; Maarten Edelman, VP International Sales, Dailypoint; Ralp Melis, COO, ExploreTECH; Jack Bowcott, CEO, Goki; Siggi Schrot, VP Sales EMEA, RMS, Darren King, CEO, ROOMNET, and Rosanna Wang, Chief Operating Officer, Aristara.
First off, we asked what technology trend will most transform hospitality in the next 3–5 years and Artificial Intelligence (AI) dominated the responses. For Inntelo AI’s Asif Alidina, it’s about AI-native platforms: “Beyond chatbots, AI can unify guest communications, operations, upselling, and data into one system.” Similarly, Adyen’s Daumantas Grigaravicius sees the rise of AI agents capable of managing entire guest journeys, from discovery to booking and payment, while RMS’s Siggi Schrot highlights automation as the foundation for AI to deliver predictive insights and hyper-personalised experiences.
Others emphasised integration. Goki CEO Jack Bowcott points to the convergence of IoT, AI, and contactless technologies into unified guest platforms, while ROOMNET’s Darren King believes “AI-powered personalisation will redefine guest-facing technology, tailoring entertainment, wellness, and in-stay experience to individual preferences.” Rosanna Wang from Aristara highlighted AI’s ability to remove cognitive clutter “like the mental load of logistics timing, translations, and endless bits of information that distract both guests and staff.”
Key to success in driving innovation is the adoption of new technologies, which continues to be seen as a challenge in our industry. We asked our experts what the root causes are and what hotels can do to over come these.
Fragmentation was a recurring theme here. Adyen’s research shows 67% of UAE hospitality businesses struggle with fragmented systems, while Dailypoint points to poor data quality as a barrier. Inntelo AI adds that change management and lack of AI expertise often slow progress. Goki’s Bowcott spoke of “integration anxiety and staff resistance,” while RMS’s Schrot highlighted unclear ROI. ROOMNET’s King cautioned that legacy systems, staff adoption, and balancing cost with ROI all remain hurdles and Rosanna Wang from Aristara emhasised that adopting new tools requires openness to the future, and that success depends on choosing choosing solutions that are modular, easy to onboard, and supported by strong training programs so staff actually use them confidently.
For solutions, leaders emphasised the need for open APIs, scalable platforms, and training. Melis underlined the importance of expert guidance: “AI can narrow options, but human experts provide confidence by sharing real-world lessons on what works and what doesn’t.” Aristara’s Rosanna Wang echoes this sentiment and added that “The best future is one where people handle empathy and complex situations, while AI ensures no request falls through the cracks.”
Looking more closely at the role of humans in the future of hospitality, all experts agreed that there will still be a place for humans in hotels. “Hospitality is a human-first industry,” said Alidina. Technology, they agreed, should free staff from repetitive tasks so they can focus on empathy and genuine connections. Bowcott put it simply: “The future belongs to properties that use technology to empower their people to be more human, not less.”
Grigaravicius referenced Adyen’s research: “While 68% of UAE travellers use AI to book holidays, they still value human interaction for complex requests and special experiences.” Edelman echoed that sentiment, noting that human insight is essential to operationalise data-driven personalisation: “Technology should empower staff, not replace them.”
Looking forward, we asked our experts where they see the greatest untapped opportunities for technology and innovation in hospitality. Personalisation came up here again, and along with data-driven insights were the most cited. Edelman sees individualised communication as underutilised, while Grigaravicius points to the power of payment data for hyper-personalisation. In line with this, Wang believes that technology that helps us communicate better is the greatest untapped opportunity and she thinks the best hospitality technology should feel invisble, like oxygen, “making the human connection easier without constantly reminding you it’s there.”
King believes in-room entertainment is a frontier: “By integrating streaming, gaming, wellness, and AI-driven personalisation, hotels can unlock new revenue streams and elevate the guest experience. Bowcott envisions predictive operations and revenue optimization, Schrot calls for dynamic pricing and data unification, while Melis emphasises opportunities for independent hotels and regional chains that lack procurement resources.
With these opportunities and the incredible speed in which new technologies emerge and develop, how can hotel owners and investors prepare for this next wave of innovation?
Across the board, leaders advised owners to think long-term, integrate systems, and involve staff. Alidina urged operators to “choose AI-native solutions, capture data early, and foster a culture of experimentation.” Grigaravicius warned against chasing trends before fixing infrastructure: “Hotels need to focus on data readiness and system integration before chasing the latest trends in AI.” Bowcott said the key is to “think ecosystem, not tools,” and Wang stressed the importance of building a digital-first mindset across the organisation first.
Schrot and King both stressed the importance of cloud-based, flexible systems with strong cybersecurity. Melis added that documenting current tech stacks and leveraging independent expertise will help hotels validate decisions and future-proof investments.
As these eight leaders make clear, technology is no longer a support function but a core driver of growth, value creation, and competitive advantage. AI, automation, and personalisation will define the next wave, but only when balanced with human connection and strategic adoption. At FHS World, these conversations will move from theory to practice. The Innovation & Technology track will showcase real-world solutions, the Tech Pavilion will offer hands-on exploration, and the PitchPoint competition offering a first-hand look at the companies and ideas set to attract the next wave of hospitality investment. For those shaping strategy, it’s not just about keeping pace with innovation; it’s about leading it.
Highlights on the Innovation & Tech track include: ‘The Human Touch, Enhanced: Using AI to Personalize Every Step of the Hospitality Journey,’ moderated by Moussa Beidas, Ideation lead, PwC Middle East, with panelists Asif Alidina, Co-Founder & CEO, Inntelo AI; Piergiorgio Schirru, Executive Vice President, Blastness; Marc-Antoine Simon, Business Partnership Manager, TikTok MENA, and Fouad Talaat, Regional Manager MEA, Booking.com, as well as a session on ‘Smart Hospitality, Smarter Returns: Measuring the ROI of Automation,’ moderated by Piergiorgio Schirru, Executive Vice President, Blastness, in discussion with Jiri Konecny, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Elko EP and Khalid Shiba, Chief Information Smart Officer, HDL Automation
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