With a sharp eye on the intersection of travel, tourism, and technology, our hospitality expert, Katarina Railko, has become a key voice in navigating the industry’s most pressing innovations. Her experience, particularly with large-scale events and conferences, gives her a unique perspective on how new technologies are adopted and implemented on the ground. Today, she joins us to discuss the newly formed HFTP AI Council, an initiative poised to shape the future of artificial intelligence in hospitality. We’ll explore the council’s plans to establish ethical “guardrails,” blend strategic vision with operational reality, and act as a neutral guide for hoteliers overwhelmed by a crowded tech market.
The council aims to create “guardrails” for AI use rather than build tools. What are the first three ethical standards you plan to develop, particularly around guest data privacy, and how will you encourage their adoption across a diverse and competitive industry?
That’s the core of this initiative, and it’s a brilliant distinction made by their CEO, Frank Wolfe. It’s not about building more tech, but about understanding how to use it well. The first ethical standard has to be absolute transparency in data collection and use. Guests must know what data is being collected and how it will enhance their stay, not just benefit the hotel’s bottom line. The second is data minimization—only collecting what is necessary to improve the guest experience, preventing the overreach we see in other sectors. The third is algorithmic fairness, ensuring that AI-driven decisions, from room pricing to service offerings, are free from bias. Adoption will be driven by education, not mandates. By curating compelling case studies and hosting webinars, the council can demonstrate that these ethical standards aren’t limitations; they are powerful tools for building the kind of deep, lasting guest trust that translates directly into loyalty and profitability.
With Michael Goldrich’s expertise in AI strategy and Shannon McCallum’s background in hotel operations, how will you blend these perspectives? Please share an example of a specific challenge where this combined leadership will be crucial for creating practical guidance for members.
This blend of leadership is the council’s secret weapon. Imagine a hotel is considering an AI-powered chatbot for guest services. Michael, with his strategic focus on generative AI and his five-step transformation process, would guide the high-level decision-making. He would ensure the chosen technology aligns with the brand’s long-term digital strategy and is scalable. But that’s only half the battle. Shannon, coming from her role as VP of Hotel Operations, would immediately ground that strategy in reality. She would be the one asking the critical questions: How does this chatbot escalate a truly frustrated guest to a human employee? Does it integrate with our housekeeping and maintenance systems to give real-time, accurate answers? Can the front desk staff easily override it when necessary? Their combined leadership prevents hotels from investing in a technologically impressive tool that fails miserably in the real, messy world of day-to-day hotel operations.
Your group plans to curate case studies and host webinars to demystify AI. What specific, real-world hospitality problem, such as staffing or guest personalization, will you tackle first, and what key lessons do you hope finance and technology professionals will take away?
I believe they’ll start with guest personalization because it’s a universal goal with significant risks if done poorly. They could present a case study of a hotel that successfully used AI to anticipate guest needs—like having a favorite type of pillow in the room upon arrival or suggesting a local activity based on past preferences. The key lesson for finance professionals from such a case study would be the clear, quantifiable return on investment. It’s not just about a “wow” moment; it’s about increased guest satisfaction scores, higher repeat booking rates, and more ancillary revenue. For the technology professionals, the lesson is more nuanced. It’s about proving that you can achieve this deep level of personalization while rigorously adhering to ethical standards of data privacy, which in turn builds the brand’s reputation as a trustworthy and responsible operator.
Hospitality leaders are often overwhelmed by AI vendors. How will the council act as a neutral voice to help them evaluate these technologies? What key criteria will you provide to help a hotel manager confidently choose the right AI partner for their specific needs?
This is one of the council’s most vital functions—to be a “reliable compass,” as their CEO stated. They can cut through the marketing noise because they aren’t selling anything. The criteria they provide will be rooted in practicality, not just technical specifications. First, they will advise managers to ask: “Does this tool solve one of my top three operational problems?” If not, it’s a distraction. Second, they will provide a checklist for data ethics and security, helping a manager assess if a vendor’s policies align with the industry’s best practices for guest trust. Finally, they’ll emphasize integration, a huge pain point in hospitality tech. A manager needs to be confident that a new AI tool will work seamlessly with their existing property management and CRM systems, rather than creating another data silo. This approach empowers a manager to make a strategic decision, not just a technological one.
The council offers participation at no cost to members and holds meetings virtually. How does this structure ensure you get diverse, unbiased perspectives from around the globe, and what challenges do you foresee in coordinating this volunteer-based initiative to produce concrete standards?
The structure is intentionally designed to be incredibly inclusive. By removing the cost barrier and the need for travel, they ensure that a small independent hotel in Southeast Asia has the same opportunity to contribute as a major resort operator in Las Vegas. This global, diverse input is essential for creating standards that are truly universal and not just tailored to one market. This is how you get an unbiased perspective. The primary challenge, of course, with any volunteer-based initiative is maintaining momentum. Coordinating experts across different time zones who are all volunteering their time requires exceptionally strong leadership from the co-chairs. The key will be to break down the ambitious goals into smaller, manageable projects with clear timelines and deliverables, so volunteers can see the concrete impact of their contributions and stay engaged.
What is your forecast for AI in the hospitality industry?
My forecast is that AI will become an invisible, essential layer of hotel operations. The most successful implementations won’t be the flashy robots or overt technologies that guests interact with. Instead, AI will work silently in the background, optimizing everything from energy consumption and supply chain management to dynamic pricing and preventative maintenance schedules. It will empower staff by giving them insights to provide more genuinely personal and proactive service, freeing them from repetitive administrative tasks. The true measure of AI’s success in hospitality won’t be what guests see, but how effortlessly and seamlessly their entire experience feels. The future is not about replacing the human touch, but about using technology to elevate it to a standard we’ve never seen before.
