Future Hospitality Summit - FHS World, taking place in Dubai later this month, asked eight tech leaders what's next for the industry. Their answers paint a picture of an industry on the cusp of transformation, where AI, data, automation, and personalization converge, while 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, FHS World 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 industry. FHS World asked
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, FHS World asked 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 optimisation, 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 Personalise 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. -TradeArabia News Service