Top 5 AI use cases in hotels: Improving guest experience and efficiency

By Aditya Sanghi, CEO & Co- founder, Hotelogix

Increased competition and rapidly evolving guest preferences compel hotels to differentiate by leveraging the newest technology. One such new-age technology is Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is slowly entering the hotel industry. Like any other technology solution, AI is set to help hotels improve the guest experience and operational efficiency.

Here are the top 5 AI-powered use cases that will redefine the future of hospitality in 2024 and beyond.

Chatbots

They provide 24/7 support, like giving pointed answers to guests’ specific queries about availability, amenities, nearby attractions, booking policies, and many more in multiple languages. They can even guide guests with booking/canceling/modifying reservations per their needs. We will see the adoption of AI chatbots by hotels to offer guests quick and smooth responses to enhance their experience from the first interaction.

Guest Engagement

For guests, the experience begins even before they check in to the hotel, and this is where AI will play a significant role. It will help hotels send customized emails about upcoming local events or anything worth trying by analyzing theguests’ behavior, past stay records, spending patterns, likes and dislikes, etc.

This way, hotels can ask guests to make payments and confirm their bookings by offering them discounts/deals that can’t say no.

After guests check out, hotels can use AI to engage with them and gather feedback. They can send AI-powered surveys to guests to solicit feedback on their stay. It will help them analyze and identify areas for improvement.

Additionally, hotels can use AI to send personalised emails to guests, thanking them for their stay and offering recommendations for their next visit. These customized interactions foster loyalty and increase the likelihood of repeat bookings.

Itinerary Recommendation

Hotels can leverage AI to offer personalized itinerary recommendations based on their preferences. AI can analyze guests’ profiles, historical travel data, feedback they might have written, social media interactions, etc., to suggest relevant activities they will likely appreciate and enjoy. It

It not only enhances guests’ experiences but also increases revenue for hotels. By offering personalised recommendations, hotels can upsell guests on activities and experiences they might not have considered otherwise.

Guest Review Management

Having top-notch online reviews and ratings is critical for hotels as they heavily influence guests’ booking decisions. AI can automatically respond to good and bad guest reviews with a personalised touch. It can analyze all guest reviews, identify the most common issues mentioned by guests, andhelp hotels understand guest sentiment. With these insights, hotels can take corrective measures to improve their services. Ultimately, it all leads to happier guests and enhanced online scores.

Marketing

Hotel marketing is an area that will see increased AI adoption in the years to come. Right from guest segmentation to creating emails and running the campaign targeting potential guests, AI can do almost everything in less time.

Such marketing activities help hotels establish a stronger connection with their target audience for enhanced conversion. The best part is that it is a great way to drive incremental direct bookings.

In addition to enhancing guest experience, AI can analyze past data patterns to identify potential operational challenges, making it an essential component of hotel daily business operations. However, the industry must also prepare its workforce to adapt to these new technologies and practices.