Hotels warned on AI readiness as tools gain traction

Access Hospitality has warned that many hotels are not ready to use artificial intelligence effectively, limiting the value they can get from AI tools.

The hospitality software provider said hotel operators are moving beyond whether to adopt AI to whether their systems, data and staff can support it in practice. In its view, the difference between early gains and lasting improvements depends more on operational preparation than on buying a single tool.

Its comments come as AI becomes more common in hotel operations. Research cited by the company found that 53% of hoteliers now view AI as useful in their day-to-day roles, suggesting it has become part of routine work for many across the sector.

Many hotel businesses still invest in software before addressing how information is stored, shared and used across the organisation. Access Hospitality's research found that disconnected systems account for an average of 13% of operational expenditure wasted in the hospitality sector.

That points to a broader issue for hotel operators trying to introduce AI into reservations, pricing, guest communications and back-office work. If core systems are not linked and data is not trusted, automation is harder to scale and staff may struggle to rely on the outputs.

Champa Magesh, Managing Director, Access Hospitality, outlined the company's view of the shift now under way in the market.

"In recent months, AI conversations in the hotel industry have shifted from adoption to readiness. As many hotels are already using AI in some form, and staff are increasingly understanding its benefits, the real differentiator is how effectively they use it. That means having connected systems, trusted data and teams with the confidence to use AI to reduce admin, improve decision-making and give staff more time to focus on delivering exceptional guest experiences," said Magesh.

Data first

The first area the company highlighted is data quality and connectivity. AI works best when hotel information is accurate, accessible and shared across platforms, and operators are advised to examine their technology estate for gaps that prevent systems from integrating properly.

That can include links between property management systems, booking engines, point-of-sale software, staffing tools and guest engagement platforms. When those systems do not exchange information smoothly, operators risk feeding incomplete or inconsistent data into AI applications.

Access Hospitality added that the problem is not limited to internal efficiency. It also affects how hotels present themselves online as search behaviour changes and AI-generated answers become more common.

Content visibility

Digital content must be clear, consistent and up to date if hotels want to appear accurately in AI search responses. The company cited research showing that AI search traffic delivers conversion rates 11.4% higher than organic search, adding a commercial incentive to keep information aligned across websites, booking channels and third-party listings.

That means room descriptions, amenities, policies and service details should match wherever potential guests encounter them. Inconsistent information can create friction in the booking journey and reduce a hotel's visibility when AI tools summarise options for travellers.

The third issue raised is workforce preparation. Although more than half of hotel staff surveyed see AI as useful in their roles, practical training will determine whether teams use the technology consistently and effectively.

Access Hospitality pointed to separate research showing that 65% of hotel staff view training and development as important. In this view, AI adoption is as much a management and skills issue as a software decision, particularly for teams expected to use automation to reduce repetitive tasks while maintaining guest service.

Training gap

For hotel operators, the argument is that AI readiness depends on aligning people, systems and information rather than treating the technology as a standalone purchase. A chatbot, pricing engine or search tool may be simple to deploy, but the operational return can vary widely depending on the quality of the underlying processes.

That reflects a wider shift across the hospitality sector, where technology spending is increasingly judged on whether it can support labour efficiency, improve decisions and reduce avoidable administrative work. Access Hospitality's assessment suggests that for many hotels, the immediate challenge is no longer getting access to AI, but building the conditions needed to use it well.

Its central message is that connected systems, reliable data and staff confidence will determine whether AI becomes a useful operational tool or another underused piece of software.