AI in Hospitality: Enhancing, Not Replacing, Human connections
- Bianca Bacher
- Mar 22
- 4 min read
AI is undoubtedly on the rise, and businesses are racing to integrate it into daily operations. Many see AI as the future of everything, implementing it wherever possible. But is AI essential in hospitality? Can it improve operations? And will businesses that choose not to implement it get left behind?
This blog post explores how hospitality businesses are currently implementing AI solutions and highlights the key factors that benefit but also challenge businesses when introducing AI to their operations.
While the hospitality industry has traditionally been cautious about adopting new technology, a growing number of forward-thinking businesses are already integrating AI into their daily operations.
Some of the current uses of AI in hospitality
Personalised Guest Experiences
Your hospitality business likely gathers data on your customers. Whether through direct guest engagement, feedback forms and reviews, the booking journey, or preference tracking, you likely have more guest data than you think — the key is knowing where to look and how to use it [2]. If businesses collect enough data on their customers, AI can learn from those data points and provide useful insights on guest preferences. Businesses can use those insights to create personalised and meaningful interactions with their customers [1]. This facilitates the value creation within daily operations as employees can focus on creating interactions with the guests rather than guessing and thinking about what they might like. Recommendations could include customised travel packages such as local guides and tours, dining recommendations, tailored room amenities, or any experience tailored to the guests’ unique backgrounds.
Within the hotel room, AI can be used to integrate into the IoT (Internet of Things) devices that are already installed in the rooms. These could be connected thermostats or smart lighting for example. AI can remember preferences and automatically prepare the room before the guest’s next arrival [1,2].
Virtual Customer Service
Some businesses already provide their customers with chat-based assistance such as WhatsApp chats. Customers can request anything they would normally call reception for via their preferred chat provider on their phones. However, for employees responding to those messages, this gets tedious. Instead of having to answer the same questions over and over again such as “Where is the breakfast room”, “Is the pool open”, and “Do you have room service”, AI can be used to reply to those requests. AI enablers such as Visito can automate over 97% of guest messages [3]. This frees up valuable time in your employees’ days which can be used for tasks that provide your customers with more value and your employees with more joy.
Operational Efficiency improvements
Whenever technology is used within an operation that makes data collection possible, AI can be “plugged in” to help make sense of all the data. For instance, some operations use NFC chips to help with inventory management and control. AI can then analyse the data and make projections and estimates for that inventory. Furthermore, it can take into account all the other information it has on the operation. For instance, it could account for the seasonality of the business and upcoming tourist demand in the area and thus make more accurate predictions. This helps reduce waste and optimise stock levels.
Housekeeping is not only responsible for cleanliness but also for reporting any maintenance issues that render rooms temporarily out of order (OOO) or even out of inventory (OOI). If artificial intelligence were used to analyse and predict maintenance needed for all the rooms, the hotels could plan maintenance schedules better and experience less unexpected unsellable rooms.
How should hotels make use of AI?
While AI can make businesses more efficient, save time, and support employees in their daily tasks, there are important factors to keep in mind during implementation.
Do’s:
Use AI to handle repetitive tasks to free up time for employees to build meaningful connections that provide value to your customers.
Use AI for time-consuming tasks such as replying to guest requests on WhatsApp.
Automate background tasks such as creating cleaning schedules for housekeeping and managing inventory levels.
Use AI to predict what guests might like based on their history and behaviour.
Use AI to empower your employees. Give them the tools they need to succeed in their jobs. Let them use AI as their assistant, not their competitor.
Train your employees on using AI to leverage its benefits without feeling replaced.
Let them use AI as their assistant, not their competitor.
Don’ts:
Don’t replace your employees with AI. Hospitality is about the human factor and meaningful connections that can be built.
Avoid the “Robot Hotel” Syndrome. Full automation or even robotic workforces might backfire and cause guests to feel frustrated with your services. Keep the human touch and use AI as a tool rather than a replacement for your employees.
Don’t over-rely on AI. Your staff still needs to be able to “get the basics right” without the need for assistance every step of the way. This might also make stays feel impersonal.
Conclusion: Keeping the human touch in AI-Driven hospitality
Businesses that choose to implement AI need to get it right. Striking the right balance between automated processes and authentic human interaction is essential. Done well, AI can modernise hospitality operations, boost efficiency, and support employees — all while preserving the sense of authenticity your guests expect.
AI should support — not replace — your team’s ability to build meaningful guest relationships. Businesses that find this balance will not only operate more smoothly but also attract and retain top talent who value purpose over repetition. Those that fail to implement AI effectively — or avoid it altogether — risk falling behind.
As for me: I’d much rather work in a company where I can focus my energy on purposeful, human-centred tasks — not on repetitive ones that a machine could easily handle.
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