Tag Archives: tech

People arriving at hotel front desk, preparing to do check in at reception counter and see room reservation. Guests on honeymoon during summertime talking to concierge in lobby. Handheld shot.

New Studies Suggest Guests Still Want Humans Behind Hospitality AI

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Hotels continue expanding AI-powered guest services, but several recent studies suggest consumers still prefer human interaction during emotionally meaningful or frustrating experiences. A recent University of South Florida study on AI concierges found hotel guests were less enthusiastic about AI concierges than hotel staff members, especially when requests involved emotional nuance or personalized recommendations. Similar findings are now emerging across hospitality and customer service researc...

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Where Consumer Interest Has Headed In 2026

Guest Experience News, , ,

Top minds dedicate themselves to predicting consumer trends to get ahead of the curve, but customers have the final say, capable of pulling industries in unforeseen directions. At the end of last year, Google published a list of predictions of what would appeal to consumers most in 2026, gathered from higher-ups across the company. The world’s most well-known search engine typically has a handle on what people like and a wealth of data to pull from. Some trends have taken off as assumed, though ...

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5 Ways to Prepare Your Hotel or Airbnb for the FIFA World Cup

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The U.S. will co-host this year's FIFA World Cup — and there's more than five million fans expected to attend in-person matches across host cities and countries. This creates huge opportunities (and challenges) for hotels and Airbnb hosts alike. With the World Cup kicking off in June, you can start preparing your property and marketing plans now to offer the best experience then. Here are the U.S. cities that will host World Cup matches in 2026:

Atlanta Boston Dallas Houston Kansas City Los Ang...

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5 Experiences That Produced Positive Google Reviews

Communication and Messaging, , ,

A few years ago, I wrote my first Google review. I’ve written five total reviews since – here’s why I was inspired to do so. The simplest way to encourage reviews is to ask for them. While working in customer service for a small retailer, I learned the importance of Google reviews for SEO and business growth, and we handed out QR codes with orders and requested reviews after every positive interaction. The reviews started flowing in, and we were discovered by tons of new customers. But the tacti...

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AI-powered e-commerce ecosystem connecting customer data, marketing, logistics, product management, and business intelligence to drive retail efficiency and digital growth Latch.

As AI Expands in Retail, Shoppers Still Want Convenience

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Retailers are racing to integrate AI tools into everything from personalization engines to inventory systems. Yet consumer enthusiasm has not kept pace. A recent report found that only 37% of shoppers had a positive experience with a brand’s AI — a reminder that technological sophistication does not automatically translate into customer satisfaction. The lesson for retailers is clear: sophistication matters less than how easily customers can move through the buying process. To make the most of i...

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Portrait of polite and hospitable young man and woman working as hotel staff at reception. Handsome Indian male receptionist in suit and elegant female manager in dress looking at camera and smiling.

Concierge, Then and Now – Why the Human Edge Still Matters in an AI-Driven World

Concierge, , ,

When Burak İpekçi began his concierge career at the Hilton New York in 1999, the lobby was his classroom: 2,000 plus rooms, constant guest requests and zero room for complacency. Decades later, he still describes the career as a “lifestyle,” not a nine-to-five job. The tools may have changed, but his purpose hasn’t. According to EHL Hospitality Business School, 65 % of customers say personalization is a key factor in their experience – and they’re willing to pay up to 25% more for it. These numb...

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A hotel and travel booking concept with the help of AI that demonstrates speed, accuracy and convenience, focusing on app development, UX UI design and modern travel technology.

Study Finds AI Agents Will Drive Loyalty Choices

Industry News,

A new hospitality paper out of Florida Atlantic University lands an uncomfortable but straightforward punchline: As travelers offload planning to artificial-intelligence agents, loyalty may shift from hotel brands to the software those guests trust to choose for them. In a press release, the authors describe a scenario many hoteliers already recognize: a traveler says, “Book Miami, under $200, with a pool and strong reviews,” and an AI agent scrapes inventory, sentiment, and amenities, then eith...

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AI-assisted hotel booking concept showcasing speed, accuracy, and convenience, with focus on app development, UX UI design, and modern travel technology.

Artificial Intelligence Will Either Bolster or Erode Guest Experience

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Speed has always defined hospitality. But as artificial intelligence accelerates service even further, one question looms: what happens when hotels move too fast for their guests? New research from Penn State University’s School of Hospitality Management warns that automation may close some long-standing service gaps – or widen them dramatically. Poorly designed systems risk deepening the disconnect between what guests expect and what they experience. In an era of breakneck innovation, Marriott ...

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shenzhen, china - February 13, 2025 : White robot provides delivery service at a hotel in Shenzhen, China. Modern service robot for hotel guest delivery solutions.

From Design Cues to Service Quality: What Makes Hotel Robots Work for Guests

Guest Experience News, ,

When the first robot butlers rolled down hotel hallways a decade ago, most guests treated them as novelties – a selfie-worthy stunt, not a serious part of service. Today, robots are quietly delivering towels, answering questions, and even checking guests in across properties from Singapore to San Francisco. The question is no longer if automation belongs in hospitality, but how to make it work for guests. And according to recent studies, success isn’t about replacing staff. It’s about design, pe...

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Social Media Engagement Contributes to Life-Long Customers

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A coworker of mine is a fanatic of the German beer Paulaner Bräuhaus. Talking to him recently, I realized his infatuation goes beyond just the quality of the drink – most of it is due to his communication with the brand. On a recent weekend, he shared a photo of Paulaner Bräuhaus’s Octoberfest release that he had picked up from a big-box liquor store. He tagged the German brewery in the photo and then received a direct message to his account thanking him for the purchase. He briefly chatted back...

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