Hotel AI: fewer than 10% cut manual work by 30%

Hotel AI is spreading fast, but the paperwork has barely shifted. Fewer than 10% of hotel chains and independent hotels using or buying generative AI have cut manual work by more than 30%. In Madrid on 15 September, a new industry report found that 80% of hotel professionals still spend between one and two days a week preparing reports by hand.

The findings come from The State of Distribution 2026, based on data from more than 270 brands and 58,000 hotels in 53 countries. It was produced by the Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality at New York University, travel technology firm RateGain and the HEDNA association.

AI remains a back-up tool

The report points to a wide gap between buying AI tools and getting clear results from them. It cites weak rules on how to use the technology, concerns over data privacy and cautious commercial teams.

Hotels mainly use AI as support for everyday tasks rather than allowing systems to make decisions on their own.

Online agents still lead bookings

Most of the sector has the technology to sell rooms directly, yet online travel agencies, known as OTAs, still bring in twice as many bookings as hotels’ own channels.

AI-powered search engines are already sending a measurable number of direct bookings to hotels. But 55% of establishments have not yet changed their distribution strategy for this new route to customers.

The study names mid-sized hotel chains as the most efficient operators. They can pay for specialised technology while staying agile enough to avoid the fragmented data affecting larger groups.

Technology budgets are rising across the sector, although the money is chiefly going on improving and connecting existing tools rather than buying new platforms.

Topics: Economy

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com