Destination AI Summit 2025: A Turning Point for Hospitality

By Drew Potter, Account Executive at Actabl

The Destination AI Hospitality Summit brought together hoteliers, technology leaders, and innovators to discuss the future of artificial intelligence in our industry. The energy was unmistakable: AI is no longer an abstract possibility. It is here, shaping how we engage with guests, optimize operations, and compete in a rapidly evolving landscape.

For hoteliers, the message was clear. Those who act decisively now by addressing data fragmentation, building AI literacy, and choosing the right technology partners will define the next era of hospitality.

The Sense of Urgency

A striking takeaway from the summit was the growing urgency around AI adoption. According to research shared at the event, 61% of hoteliers believe AI will have an impact within the next year, while 73% expect it to be significant or transformative overall. This mirrors a broader trend: consumer use of AI for travel has surged more than 1,200% year-over-year. Guests are adopting these tools faster than hotels, raising expectations and compressing the timeline for response.

The industry is at a point similar to the rise of online travel agencies (OTAs). Those who adapted early to the OTA shift gained advantages that are still felt today. The same is likely to be true with AI.

Hoteliers are not standing still. More than 90% of survey respondents expect IT spending to increase in the coming years, with efficiency, guest experience, and revenue identified as top priorities. This willingness to invest underscores the belief that AI can deliver measurable results.

Confronting the Fragmented Tech Stack

Despite the momentum, a recurring theme was the fragmented state of hotel technology. Many operators are experimenting with siloed AI applications: one for guest messaging, another for revenue management, and yet another for hiring. This piecemeal approach creates data silos that limit personalization, undermine forecasting accuracy, and stall efficiency gains.

The solution lies in consolidation. A unified platform enables data to flow seamlessly across departments, allowing AI to deliver insights that improve every aspect of the guest journey. At Actabl, this is already at the core of our strategy. ProfitSword’s consolidated data engine provides the foundation for AI-driven applications, ensuring that insights are holistic, accurate, and actionable.

At Actabl, our unified approach directly counters the fragmentation that holds many operators back. By consolidating data across finance, operations, and revenue management, we empower hotels to deploy AI in a way that is both scalable and trustworthy.

High-Impact Use Cases

The summit showcased how AI is being applied to solve critical hospitality challenges today:

• Guest Experience and Engagement: AI can automate routine communications, enabling personalized, timely responses that free staff to focus on high-value in-person interactions. In luxury markets, expectations escalate immediately once personalization is introduced, making data-driven insights essential.
• Revenue Management: AI-powered systems are delivering measurable results by adjusting rates dynamically based on forward-looking indicators like flight cancellations or local event demand.
• Operational Efficiency: From automating billing requests in contact centers to streamlining interview scheduling in hiring, AI is demonstrating real ROI in reducing friction behind the scenes.

Each of these use cases shares a common thread: success depends on clean, connected data.

Building Trust and Literacy

A challenge that emerged from the summit is not just technological, but cultural. Up to 95% of developed AI agents remain undeployed due to concerns about trust and reliability. Hotels must treat AI management like talent management, providing training and continuous evaluation.

Equally important is preparing teams for the transition. Change management is essential. AI will not replace hospitality jobs, but professionals who use AI effectively will replace those who do not. That requires investment in literacy programs, cross-training, and building a culture of confidence around AI adoption.

Looking Ahead

The following 18 months will be decisive. Industry experts predict that by 2026, profitability metrics and KPIs in hospitality will shift entirely to reflect AI’s role in operations. Hotels that delay risk falling behind in ways that may be impossible to recover from.

For hoteliers unsure where to begin, the answer is simple: start with data. Once data is unified, the potential for AI-driven insights expands dramatically.

The Destination AI Summit underscored that we are entering a new phase: from experimentation to execution. AI will not replace the essence of hospitality, the human connection that defines great service. But it will reshape how hotels operate, compete, and grow.

The winners in this transformation will be those who act now to unify their data, invest in their people, and choose partners who can deliver on AI’s promise.

• Hospitality is entering a new era powered by AI. Actabl helps hotels stay ahead by unifying data, elevating efficiency, and enhancing guest experiences. See the future in action. Book your demo with us today.