{"id":119310,"date":"2025-10-17T16:19:35","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T13:19:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/syyaha.com\/?p=119310"},"modified":"2025-10-17T16:19:35","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T13:19:35","slug":"hospitality-techs-next-chapter-ai-data-and-human-connection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/syyaha.com\/en\/hospitality-techs-next-chapter-ai-data-and-human-connection\/","title":{"rendered":"Hospitality Tech\u2019s Next Chapter: AI, Data, and Human Connection"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the countdown begins to Future Hospitality Summit – FHS World<\/a> in Dubai later this month, we put the spotlight on Innovation & Technology, <\/strong>one of the content tracks at this year\u2019s conference designed to explore the transformative trends in hospitality.<\/p>\n

We asked eight tech leaders what\u2019s 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<\/strong>, Co-Founder and CEO, Inntelo AI; Daumantas Grigaravicius<\/strong>, Head of Middle East, Adyen; Maarten Edelman<\/strong>, VP International Sales, Dailypoint; Ralp Melis, <\/strong>COO, ExploreTECH; Jack Bowcott<\/strong>, CEO, Goki; Siggi Schrot<\/strong>, VP Sales EMEA, RMS, Darren King<\/strong>, CEO, ROOMNET, and Rosanna Wang<\/strong>, Chief Operating Officer, Aristara.<\/p>\n

First off, we asked what technology trend will most transform hospitality in the next 3\u20135 years and Artificial Intelligence (AI) dominated the responses. For Inntelo AI\u2019s Asif Alidina, it\u2019s about AI-native platforms: \u201c<\/em>Beyond chatbots, AI can unify guest communications, operations, upselling, and data into one system.\u201d Similarly, Adyen\u2019s Daumantas Grigaravicius sees the rise of AI agents capable of managing entire guest journeys, from discovery to booking and payment, while RMS\u2019s Siggi Schrot highlights automation as the foundation for AI to deliver predictive insights and hyper-personalised experiences.<\/p>\n

Others emphasised integration. Goki CEO Jack Bowcott points to the convergence of IoT, AI, and contactless technologies into unified guest platforms, while ROOMNET\u2019s Darren King believes \u201c<\/em>AI-powered personalisation will redefine guest-facing technology, tailoring entertainment, wellness, and in-stay experience to individual preferences.\u201d Rosanna Wang from Aristara highlighted AI\u2019s ability to remove cognitive clutter \u201clike the mental load of logistics timing, translations, and endless bits of information that distract both guests and staff.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Fragmentation was a recurring theme here. Adyen\u2019s 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\u2019s Bowcott spoke of \u201cintegration anxiety and staff resistance,\u201d while RMS\u2019s Schrot highlighted unclear ROI. ROOMNET\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

For solutions, leaders emphasised the need for open APIs, scalable platforms, and training. Melis underlined the importance of expert guidance: \u201cAI can narrow options, but human experts provide confidence by sharing real-world lessons on what works and what doesn\u2019t.\u201d Aristara\u2019s Rosanna Wang echoes this sentiment and added that \u201cThe best future is one where people handle empathy and complex situations, while AI ensures no request falls through the cracks.\u201d<\/p>\n

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. \u201cHospitality is a human-first industry,\u201d said Alidina. Technology, they agreed, should free staff from repetitive tasks so they can focus on empathy and genuine connections. Bowcott put it simply: \u201cThe future belongs to properties that use technology to empower their people to be more human, not less.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grigaravicius referenced Adyen\u2019s research: \u201cWhile 68% of UAE travellers use AI to book holidays, they still value human interaction for complex requests and special experiences.\u201d Edelman echoed that sentiment, noting that human insight is essential to operationalise data-driven personalisation: \u201cTechnology should empower staff, not replace them.\u201d<\/p>\n

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, \u201cmaking the human connection easier without constantly reminding you it\u2019s there.\u201d<\/p>\n

King believes in-room entertainment is a frontier: \u201cBy 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.<\/p>\n

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?<\/p>\n

Across the board, leaders advised owners to think long-term, integrate systems, and involve staff. Alidina urged operators to \u201cchoose AI-native solutions, capture data early, and foster a culture of experimentation.\u201d Grigaravicius warned against chasing trends before fixing infrastructure: \u201cHotels need to focus on data readiness and system integration before chasing the latest trends in AI.\u201d Bowcott said the key is to \u201cthink ecosystem, not tools,\u201d and Wang stressed the importance of building a digital-first mindset across the organisation first.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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<\/a> will showcase real-world solutions, the Tech Pavilion<\/a> will offer hands-on exploration, and the PitchPoint<\/a> 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\u2019s not just about keeping pace with innovation; it\u2019s about leading it.<\/p>\n

Highlights on the Innovation & Tech track include: \u2018The Human Touch, Enhanced: Using AI to Personalize Every Step of the Hospitality Journey,\u2019 moderated by Moussa Beidas<\/strong>, Ideation lead, PwC Middle East, with panelists Asif Alidina<\/strong>, Co-Founder & CEO, Inntelo AI; Piergiorgio Schirru<\/strong>, Executive Vice President, Blastness; Marc-Antoine Simon<\/strong>, Business Partnership Manager, TikTok MENA, and Fouad Talaat<\/strong>, Regional Manager MEA,\u00a0Booking.com, as well as a session on \u2018Smart Hospitality, Smarter Returns: Measuring the ROI of Automation,\u2019 moderated by Piergiorgio Schirru<\/strong>, Executive Vice President, Blastness, in discussion with Jiri Konecny<\/strong>, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Elko EP and Khalid Shiba<\/strong>, Chief Information Smart Officer, HDL Automation<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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\u2019s conference designed to explore the transformative trends in hospitality. We asked eight tech leaders what\u2019s next for the industry and their answers paint […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":119311,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"language":[],"class_list":["post-119310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exhibitions-festivals"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/syyaha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119310","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/syyaha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/syyaha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syyaha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syyaha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=119310"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/syyaha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119310\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":119313,"href":"https:\/\/syyaha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119310\/revisions\/119313"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syyaha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/119311"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/syyaha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=119310"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syyaha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=119310"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syyaha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=119310"},{"taxonomy":"language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/syyaha.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/language?post=119310"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}