Two converging forces are reshaping today’s hospitality industry: the rapid acceleration of digital transformation and the rising demand for more human, emotionally resonant experiences. These twin pressures are defining a pivotal moment for the industry, prompting new questions about how hotels and resorts must evolve to remain relevant.

To understand where things are headed, we went straight to the source, interviewing eight senior technology and hospitality leaders about the innovations driving change today, and how they’re reimagining guest experiences, operations, and strategy for the future.

Their responses form the backbone of this report. From AI-powered personalization to agile system design, we explore the top priorities and pain points facing today’s hospitality leaders — and the technology solutions they’re embracing to solve them.

Some common threads emerged: the need for more modular and scalable architecture, the importance of empowering teams through digital fluency, and the rising potential of AI to drive both operational precision and personalized service.

Across these conversations, one thing became clear: The future of hospitality will be powered by technology — but it will be defined by how well that technology deepens the guest experience.

Sponsored by Sojern, Hospitality Solutions, and Duetto, this report examines a time of meaningful change in hospitality tech — one defined not just by digital tools, but by the industry voices leading their implementation.

In this report:

How AI-powered personalization is moving hotels from reactive service to predictive, contextualized guest journeys.
Why vacation planning is being reimagined through AI-driven recommendations and smarter inventory reshuffling.
How Generative AI is scaling engagement, cutting guest service calls by 65% while boosting satisfaction.
The rise of AI copilots and coding agents is driving productivity gains of 30 to 50% across hotel tech teams.
How hospitality is shifting from rooms to retail, with personalized packages and new revenue streams beyond bookings.
Why SEO and discovery are changing as AI alters how travelers search, plan, and book.
The evolution toward profit-first strategies, as hotels optimize total commercial outcomes, not just room revenue.
How agentic AI and automation are beginning to take on multi-step, cross-platform decisions in operations.