Contents Introduction Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn’t just transforminghotel operations; it’s redefining what it means to From how travelers discover destinations to howthey book and communicate with staff; generativeAI is becoming the invisible concierge shapingevery moment of the journey. And behind the scenes,agentic AI has the potential to drive efficiencies andautomation to make stays even more seamless. The hotels that succeed in this new era won’t bethe ones that automate everything, but the ones thatunderstand where the human touch matters most, This whitepaper explores the next era of hospitality.Whether you own, manage, or work in a hotel (or simplywant a glimpse at the new guest experience) these Drawing on the perspectives of eighteen industryexperts, we tested a series of scenarios throughin-depth surveys, measuring their likelihood, impact,and desirability. The full findings reveal how emerging A new backboneof intelligence Let’s first clarify fourkey levels of Intelligence: Five keyinsights Five key insights from our research that everyhotelier should keep front-of-mind when planning The guest journey is evolving into a singleconversational flow by Generative AI, whereyour hotel’s visibility will be defined by the A CHANCE FOR HOTELIERS TO OWN The rapid rise of Generative AI offers newlevers to win direct bookings, but only forthose investing in differentiating factorslike bookable services. Allowing for greater STAFF ROLES WILL EVOLVE,NOT DISAPPEAR.04 Automation will free teams from transactionalchores, allowing staff to focus on high-impact,human interactions. The real winners will In this paper you’ll find deeper dives intoeach idea, including actionable checklists EXPLORE MORE Exploring the future MEET SOPHIA, OUR TRAVELER. Sophia is looking to book her dream holiday. She wantsto take a two-week road trip through Italy, visiting Rome,Naples and Florence. She’s excited about discoveringhistory in Pompeii, the amazing architecture of Rome, Let’s follow her into 2035 where AI is fully embeddedinto the travel experience. SECTION 1 Generative AI The new frontier in searchand booking SCENARIO “In the next 10 years, generative AI chatbots likeChatGPT, Perplexity and Claude will fully integratetravel ecosystems, allowing guests to book hotels,flights, local transport, and experiences in a single SCENARIO “In the next 10 years, hotels will routinely access guestflight and taxi data (with consent) to dynamicallyadjust check-in/out times, room readiness, and airport 1.1 Discoverabilitythrough AI The way guests search and book hotels has changeddramatically over the past decade. Social media is nowa bigger source of inspiration than recommendationsfrom friends and family, and most discovery todayhappens online, with guests comparing options across But the search experience is evolving once again.It’s moving from lists and filters to conversational,intelligent discovery, more akin to receiving 1.2 The rise ofconversational search Generative AI (GenAI) combines the power of onlinesearch with the conversational exchange of personalrecommendations. Unlike traditional search engines orOTA filters, GenAI platforms don’t just retrieve data, they Travelers can now describe their dream trip (“a weekendspa retreat within three hours of London with great veganfood”) and receive curated itineraries in seconds. Of Americans useAI for travel research. Trust AI to builddetailed itineraries. Skift Research and seoClarity found that in April 2025,3% of Google hotel searches included an ‘AI overview’ –an AI-generated summary at the top of search results, Meanwhile, Expedia partnered with Perplexity to launchComet, an AI-powered browser and assistant featuringa dedicated travel interface that helps users discover Sophia starts talking to her personalized agent onChatGPT. The agent already knows her preferredaccommodation types and budget, so asks further SOPHIA SOPHIA Could you give me a travel itinerary for a 2-weekroad trip through Italy? I want to see Rome, Naples,Florence… learn the history of Pompeii, and enjoy PERSONALIZED AGENT Absolutely, Sophia! Before I build the route - I seeyour calendar is free between the 3rd and 25th ofJune. Any specific dates you would like to travel? I’m flexible. PERSONALIZED AGENT Perfect. And how would you like to travel betweencities — rental car, trains, or a mix? Let’s do a rental car. I want the freedom to PERSONALIZED AGENT Great choice. I’ll optimize the whole route forminimal driving time and scenic stops. Here’s a fullitinerary with hotels, activities, estimated costs, She gets a plan that’s fully worked out and asks theagent to book. The agent handles all the administrative Discovery and search are the stages of the traveljourney where our expert panel observedthe greatest impact from AI today, but booking Expert panel In October, ChatGPT introduced its browser, Atlas,enabling automated travel reservations. It’s only