As artificial intelligence (AI) takes a tighter grip of our daily lives, its impact may be felt the most in places where it’s the least visible.
NB: This is an article from SiteMinder, one of our Expert Partners
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While influencers on social media apps like TikTok and Instagram, and marketing professionals, will find smarter and faster ways to create content or propel sales, the end result will feel not unlike what it feels like right now.
Instead, the real change hastened by AI may be in large businesses, and in fact entire sectors of business, where greater efficiency and deeper analytics are deeply coveted.
So, what about the hospitality industry?
Traditionally lagging behind other sectors in new technology adoption, our industry is an interesting case study. How aware are hoteliers of AI’s potential? How are they using it? Do they know how travellers are incorporating AI into their research and booking processes? Are they planning for the future?
These are questions that must be considered, since accommodation providers are not immune to the growing presence of large language models (LLMs), AI chatbots, and AI-driven data tools. Travellers are already engaging with AI during their journeys on a large scale, regardless of whether hoteliers are prepared – so now is the perfect time for accommodation businesses to examine how they can make the most of this potential turning point.
However, many hoteliers are still at the entrance of the AI rabbit hole, traversing an educational research stage while trying to run an always-on business at the same time. There’s an alarmingly broad spectrum across the industry when it comes to technology uptake, and AI is the newest entity to find its place.
Those that are lagging are loyal to old habits or believe they don’t have the time and money to explore something new which seems complex to learn – even if it would ultimately prove beneficial. Those that are leading the charge recognise the underlying value of speeding up processes, automating customer service, enriching data analytics, and optimising pricing.
Regardless of where they stand, most hoteliers are taken aback by how fast AI is progressing, even those operating the most standout properties you can find.
