Finance, Op Planning & Forecasting

For hoteliers, the old playbook of seasonal rate cards and static pricing no longer cuts it. Maximizing every available room, every night, now demands smarter, faster, and more precise revenue strategies.

In the lead up to the Future Hospitality Summit Saudi Arabia 2025 next month, we asked several industry partners about the opportunities they see for the hospitaliy industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2025 and beyond.

In the world of hospitality, everyone talks about data – how much you can collect, how fast you can access it, and how many dashboards you can create. But after two decades of working with the most sophisticated data models, I’ve learned something critical: just having the data isn’t enough.

In a world shaped by unprecedented technological advancement, the hospitality sector finds itself at a fascinating intersection of tradition and transformation. At this crossroads, the food system – a sector shaped by human connection and culture – is undergoing a revolution of its own. As AI, climate change and shifting consumer values redefine the rules of engagement, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the transformation we need will not come from isolated breakthroughs, but from radical collaboration.

What does it mean to be truly guest-centric? For decades or longer, the hospitality industry has talked about guest experience as a top priority. But when you look under the hood of many of the systems and metrics that hoteliers rely on, the focus is on rooms and reservations.

Food has always played a central role in hospitality—but its meaning and impact are rapidly expanding. As outlined in our newly released Food & Wellbeing Trend Report 2025, developed at EHL with a diverse group of global experts, food is no longer just about nourishment or indulgence. It’s about connection, regeneration, and the pursuit of personal and planetary health.

The hospitality industry is currently facing a confluence of challenges that threaten to curtail travel demand and strain hotel operations. Economic uncertainties, compounded by recent tariff implementations, are reshaping traveler behaviors and demand forecasts. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for hoteliers aiming to navigate the impending downturn effectively.

What if the next breakthrough idea for your business did not come from your internal team – but from the outside?

As April marks the time when many hotel businesses are closing the books and set new budgets for 2025-26, it is crucial for leadership to adapt to the rapidly evolving landscape of innovative technology and trends that continue to (re)shape the future of hotels hospitality. With shifting customer expectations and increasing demand for personalized experiences, leaders should remain optimistic and strategically focus on key channels that drive hotel occupancy and direct revenue.

Successful hotel investment isn’t just about understanding the numbers. The best investors consider the nuance of guest experience, operational efficiency and the long-term value of flexibility.