Why the future of hotel technology hinges on its invisibility

The hotel technology conversation is moving into a new phase. After years of experimentation with highly visible innovations, from robot concierges to smart-room gadgets, some operators are increasingly focused on something far less noticeable: the infrastructure working sight unseen.

For many hotel groups, the priority is no longer simply adding new technology, but connecting existing systems, removing operational friction and creating a smoother journey for both guests and employees. 

The surge in technological investment among hoteliers is largely a response to the intersection of evolving guest demands, escalating operating expenses, and the imperative for enhanced staff productivity. Far from making human roles obsolete, these digital tools are being strategically deployed to handle routine, monotonous duties. By automating these repetitive processes, technology empowers employees to dedicate their focus toward fostering high-value, personal connections with guests.

Technology acting behind the scenes

For Jawad Sabir, the senior vice president of technology and business solutions at PPHE Group, technology’s ability to work stealthily on menial tasks is its central purpose. 

With more than 24 years of hospitality experience, largely across luxury and five-star hotels, Sabir joined PPHE just over a year ago to lead the group’s technology landscape, spanning front and back-of-house, as well as its wider technology and AI strategy.

“My focus has been on using technology to improve both the guest experience and the experience of our team members,” he says. “We’re looking at how technology can help teams provide better support throughout the guest journey.”

According to Sabir, a major priority has been identifying the repetitive processes that slow teams down. “Using AI and robotic process automation, we’re able to remove those repeated tasks, allowing team members to spend more time interacting with guests,” he explains.

“The purpose of automation is to enhance hospitality, not replace it.” – Jawad Sabir, PPHE

The move towards more invisible technology reflects a wider industry trend. Rather than replacing human interaction, many operators are looking at how digital tools can remove administrative burdens and allow staff to focus on service.

One of the biggest challenges facing hotels is that many of the systems powering the guest journey still operate separately. Reservation platforms, customer relationship management systems, operational tools and guest communication channels often hold valuable information – yet that data is not always connected.

For PPHE, solving that fragmentation became the foundation of its AI strategy.

The case for building one’s own AI foundation

“We’re on a journey like many businesses are, but we wanted to take a different approach rather than simply relying on third-party AI solutions,” Sabir says. “A key challenge in hospitality is that many systems operate in silos. They don’t communicate with each other, and there’s limited integration between the data they hold.”

PPHE’s response was to first create a central data platform, bringing information from different systems into one location.

“We started by building our own data lake, bringing information from different systems into one central location,” Sabir explains. “That created a single source of meaningful data that teams can use to better understand guests across different touchpoints, whether that’s food and beverage, meetings and events, or stays at our hotels.”

Only once that foundation was in place, Sabir notes, did the group begin developing AI capabilities. He continues, “Rather than building AI separately across different systems, we developed AI capabilities within our own platform. We now have our own large language model that sits within our ecosystem, constantly learning and improving.”

Sabir along with PPHE agree that the objective is to create a connected view of the guest, allowing information to flow across departments rather than remaining locked within individual systems.

“By bringing data into one central platform, we’re creating a shared view of the guest,” Sabir says. “Previously, information might have existed separately across different departments. Now, teams can access connected data and understand the full guest journey.”

That approach reflects a broader movement across hospitality towards frictionless experiences. Brands including CitizenM and Hilton have invested heavily in digital guest journeys, including mobile check-in, digital room keys and app-based services designed to reduce reliance on traditional front desk processes.

“The biggest opportunities are around repetitive tasks that take teams away from meaningful guest interaction.” – Jawad Sabir, PPHE

At the same time, operators are increasingly exploring technology that improves employee workflows rather than just guest-facing experiences. Wearable technology, automated task management and connected communication tools are being trialled by hotel groups to help teams respond faster while reducing unnecessary disruption.

For Sabir, this distinction is also important. “The biggest opportunities are around repetitive tasks that take teams away from meaningful guest interaction,” he says. “Hospitality is built around people, so the goal is not to replace that human interaction. It’s about removing the administrative work that prevents teams from spending more time with guests.”

In light of this, one area where PPHE is already applying AI is guest communications. The group has introduced AI agents within its central contact centre, with the technology handling routine queries while escalating more complex or sensitive conversations to employees.

“We currently have AI agents handling guest communications through our central contact centre,” Sabir says. “Around 60% of emails are handled by AI, which is approximately 50,000 emails per month.”

However, automation does not mean removing human involvement. As Sabir explains, “The key is understanding when human interaction is needed. We monitor guest sentiment and identify when someone is unhappy, frustrated or specifically wants to speak to a person. Those conversations are immediately passed to a team member.”

Guests can also request human support at any stage. “The purpose of automation is to enhance hospitality, not replace it,” Sabir adds. “Every technology decision we make is focused on creating meaningful interactions.”

Consumer expectations suggest that this approach is becoming increasingly important. According to SiteMinder’s Changing Traveller Report, 52% of global travellers have abandoned an online hotel booking because of a poor digital experience, highlighting the importance of a smooth booking journey.

Next generation: balancing AI with human connection

The same research also suggests guests are becoming more accepting of technology-driven pricing models, as 49% of UK travellers support or accept hotel price adjustments during periods of high demand, compared with a global average of 65%.

The report, which surveys more than 10,000 travellers across key global markets, also highlights growing comfort with AI-enabled travel experiences, including recommendations and automated assistance.

For younger travellers in particular, digital infrastructure is becoming an increasingly important part of the hotel experience. SiteMinder’s generational analysis found that Gen Z travellers place significant value on seamless connectivity and services such as reliable Wi-Fi.

“There are two types of guests: the hotel guest and the team member. Technology needs to support both.” – Jawad Sabir, PPHE

For PPHE Group, Sabir views the essence of personalisation as the strategic use of digital tools to ensure every guest touchpoint is meaningful and contextually appropriate. “Instead of employees having to guess what a guest might want, they can use data insights to provide more relevant recommendations and services,” he adds.

Looking ahead, Sabir believes AI will become the defining technology trend for hospitality. “Cloud was the major conversation several years ago, but now it’s simply expected. AI is moving into that position.”

The next evolution, he believes, will come from more proactive AI systems that can support operations and guest experiences with greater autonomy. PPHE is also continuing to explore areas including voice recognition and multilingual AI, with the aim of making guest communication easier across different markets.

For Sabir, the future of hotel technology comes back to a simple principle: technology should support the people at the centre of hospitality.

“I’ve spent 24 years in hotels, and this is a very different era,” he concludes. “Guest expectations have changed, and technology gives us new ways to respond. There are two types of guests: the hotel guest and the team member. Technology needs to support both.”

Ultimately, the most successful hotel technology may be the technology guests barely notice – because everything simply works.