Finance, Op Planning & Forecasting

In hospitality, time is everything. And yet, too much of it is spent on the wrong things. Admin overload, repetitive reporting, fragmented systems… it all adds up. That’s where automation steps in, not to replace people, but to give them back time, so they can connect, think, serve. In this article, I want to share what we’re seeing in the field: the real impact of AI and Automation on hotel teams, and why the future of hospitality is more human than ever.

Hospitality is at an inflection point. 2026 is not just any other year, but a year when everything could change – and yes, AI is at the heart of it.

It seems every day there’s another announcement surrounding some preternatural feat that artificial intelligence (AI) has accomplished. Within the hospitality world, the number of technology vendors introducing (or claiming to introduce!) AI products and features is also mushrooming. It’s all a bit overwhelming.

For years, we have treated robotics and Artificial Intelligence as separate workstreams. AI was “Soft”—it lived in the cloud, processed data, and generated text. Robotics was “Hardware”—it lived in the warehouse, moved boxes, and required expensive coding.

It’s that time of year again. Crystal balls are out and pundits are busy predicting whether hospitality transactions will rise or fall. No one knows for certain, though everyone seems to have an opinion.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is on every business leader’s mind at the moment, and this is no different in the hotels and tourism sectors. There is extensive research pointing to the potential productivity, financial, and operational benefits of AI, and businesses across the world are trying to capitalise on this exciting opportunity.

Hoteliers are telling us they are surrounded by tech-savvy guests, with many regularly turning to generative AI (GenAI) for recommendations on where to visit, stay, or eat. It can be exciting for travellers to discover hidden gems in cities they would have never otherwise found, or visit hole-in-the-wall cafes with unique menus. That heightened expectation of travel experiences is carried throughout their trips, which can add pressure on hoteliers to assess GenAI for how it can help to improve their business and customer experiences.

In hotel operations, automation doesn’t fail loudly. It fails quietly.

Pets are an important part of our lives. They deserve to be treated to the same five-star experiences as we are. And there’s an emerging trend within luxury hospitality that proves it’s not only our animal friends who’ll benefit – hotels can too.

What will the guest journey look like in 2026 and beyond? As hospitality arrives at yet another critical moment, the 2026 Hospitality Industry Outlook authored by Mews explores how the rise of AI – both generative and agentic – is transforming how hotels operate, interact with guests and drive revenue.