Overview
- Mews' 2026 Hospitality Industry Outlook warns hotels to use 2026 to prepare systems, data and teams for AI or risk falling behind competitors.
- The report projects that by 2035 most discovery and booking will occur through a single AI conversation, with at least half of back-office tasks automated and routine requests handled by AI agents.
- A four-step checklist advises properties to assess tech stacks and data, structure content for AI, run one supervised pilot use case and establish governance with staff training.
- Analysts highlight that early wins will come from agentic AI in back-office operations, guest communications and housekeeping, while human roles shift toward empathy and brand storytelling.
- Industry commentary reinforces the urgency with a reported 7% rise in mobile bookings in 2025 in the UK and Ireland, growing payment automation and pricing AI adoption, and integration-by-design examples such as The Hawthorn by Galway Bay opening in 2026.