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RLI LEISURE INSIGHT

AI: What it means for the

future of hospitality?

In this month’s Leisure Insight, Giles Fuchs, Owner of Burgh Island
Hotel discusses the rise of artificial intelligence, its current and future
impact on the hospitality industry and how hotels must be aware of its
importance moving forward.

t’s been over two decades since artificial intelligence was first revolution and keep in mind that all that glitters isn’t silicon. Hospitality
released to the mass market and even longer since science fiction is by definition a human industry. When we welcome guests to Burgh
Ibrought AI to the imaginations of the general public. The past six Island, we want to ensure our guests feel individually valued, that they
months, however, have witnessed an explosion in the use of AI that feel looked after and at home during their time with us. We want them
has transported artificial intelligence to the forefront of our lives, both to feel cared for in the way that only people care for one another.
personally and in business. Artificial intelligence may well streamline how we run our hotels:
AI is rapidly transforming many sectors across the economy and chatbots can reduce the time staff spend speaking with customers,
the hospitality industry is no exception. More than that, many AI information processing technology can make room allocations on the
technologies are free of charge, making them equally available to all basis of guests’ preferences and generative AI can help guests immerse
hotels regardless of capital and raising the question: will hotels that fail themselves in a hotel before they ever arrive. The danger is that, by
to join the AI revolution find themselves left behind? Equally important, streamlining hospitality, artificial intelligence will bypass the essence of
however, is the importance of personal relationships in hospitality and the sector.
what we don’t yet know is how AI might detract from this. Before With chatbots replacing hotel staff, guests will miss out on the
embracing AI it’s vital that hotels take the time to fully understand this personal touch of human interaction. Recent years and the experience
artificial intelligence and what it might mean for hospitality in the future. of lockdown have taught us just how valuable this human interaction is
to our lives, so how willing should we be to forfeit it now? Generative
Pros AI may help guests decide whether or not to visit a hotel, but at the
Capable of informing advertising campaigns, streamlining booking same time it removes the sense of mystery that’s so important when
processes and managing hotel administration, AI technology brings travelling somewhere new.
with it a myriad of benefits and opens up new potential for the Staff will be affected as much as guests. By incorporating AI into
hospitality sector. their management, hotels run the risk of taking the passion out of
One such benefit is the ability to carry out quick, comprehensive hospitality work. Here at Burgh, our staff members take pleasure in
research. Using the internet as their database, Chatbots can undertake looking after our guests, matching each guest with their perfect room,
research on a limitless number of topics and present their findings in welcoming visitors when they arrive and ensuring they are looked
a clear, digestible format. You could, for example, ask ChatGPT to after throughout their stay. Indeed, the relationships we build with our
enumerate the relative merits of artificial intelligence for the hospitality guests mean that many choose to return year after year.
sector (though I can’t vouch for an unbiased response!).
In the case of hotels, this research function can help staff keep Happy Medium
up to date with travel trends, allowing them to adapt their offering There are many ways that artificial intelligence could change the
and promotional content to fit what tourists want. On a more hospitality industry and this rapidly advancing technology should by no
individualised level, chatbots are able to analyse the likes and dislikes of means be dismissed. Certainly, its administrative capabilities have the
a guest, a feature that can be utilised when allocating rooms or curating potential to free up time for staff to spend on welcoming visitors and
personalised packages. improving the guest experience. Nonetheless, we should avoid falling
Another way in which AI can serve hospitality is through its capacity into the trap of making changes just because we can.
for translation. As an international industry, language barriers have long Before incorporating AI into their management, hotels should
since been a stumbling block for the hospitality sector. Indeed, 40 per think carefully about what aspects of artificial intelligence can benefit
cent of global consumers will only buy products from websites in their their business. For some larger-scale hotel chains, this could mean
own language, meaning that hotels which don’t provide multilingual using chatbots throughout the booking process. For smaller boutique
information and booking services are in danger of losing a significant hotels, the benefits of AI may be limited to administrative tasks such as
volume of customers. While most browsers come equipped with overseeing building maintenance. In any case, the use of AI isn’t a case
translation software, these inbuilt systems are notorious for producing of all or nothing. This technology certainly holds potential for hotels,
inelegant – and sometimes incomprehensible – prose. Recent AI but we must ensure that, by embracing it, we don’t undermine the
technology provides a more accurate translation, helping hotels to spirit of the hospitality sector.
stand out on a global level.
One last benefit of artificial intelligence is as an administrative
tool. With AI carrying out organisational tasks such as allocating
room bookings and supervising hotel maintenance, staff members
have more time to concentrate on enhancing the guest experience:
welcoming visitors, devising creative events and initiatives and ensuring
every aspect of the hotel is up to standard. In this way, AI can be used
alongside traditional hospitality practices to streamline the day-to-day
running of a hotel.

Cons
There’s no doubt that artificial intelligence has the potential to
significantly change how hotels function; yet with such possibilities
at our fingertips, it’s important to avoid being swept away by the AI

32 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL JUNE 2023