Throughout 2025, industry discussions frequently focused on the difficulty
of integrating new digital capabilities into established hotel operating
models. As artificial intelligence use cases, mobile guest interactions, and
core system modernisation expanded, attention shifted from adoption decisions
to practical integration. The challenge centred on execution rather than
ambition.
According to Shiji Insights, by 2026, guest experience is no longer positioned as a layer applied
after operational design. Instead, it increasingly defines how workflows,
decision-making, and information flows are structured. Hotels that continue to
treat experience as a corrective measure often encounter friction across the
guest journey, while those designing operations from the guest journey backward
report more consistent delivery.
This structural approach reframes experience as an outcome of
organisational design rather than service culture alone. Leadership discussions
increasingly focus on where decisions are made, how quickly teams can act, and
how systems support consistency. When these elements are aligned, experience
becomes repeatable rather than aspirational.
Personalisation follows a similar shift. In 2026, it moves from
surface-level gestures into daily operations. Guests encounter fewer repeated
questions and fewer manual interventions as service logic is simplified into
recognisable stay patterns. Personalisation becomes scalable when it is
embedded in operational design rather than layered through complex rules.
Mobile engagement also continues to evolve. While mobile tools were initially adopted to drive efficiency, they now increasingly influence guest behaviour through timing and relevance rather than frequency. Hotels that prioritise clarity and intent over interaction volume report smoother engagement, as mobile touchpoints appear only when they align with guest needs.
Commercial practices adapt accordingly. Upselling remains part of the stay,
but campaign-driven approaches lose effectiveness. Recommendations increasingly
appear within operational context, based on timing, availability, and guest
intent. Revenue outcomes become quieter and more incremental, relying on system
readiness rather than messaging intensity.
The role of Artificial Intelligence continues to develop. In 2025, AI was
primarily used for insight generation. Entering 2026, some hotels are
cautiously testing its application in supporting routine operational decisions
under human oversight. These deployments remain selective, focusing on areas
where response speed affects value creation.
Distribution also changes in character. While discovery channels multiply,
their mechanics become largely invisible to guests. For hotels, distribution
grows more complex as bookings originate from search, platforms, maps, and
AI-influenced discovery paths. Management focus shifts from individual channel
optimisation to data consistency, system integration, and operational
ownership.
Online reputation data increasingly functions as an operational signal
rather than a retrospective metric. Hotels monitor sentiment more frequently,
identify recurring friction points, and integrate findings into daily routines.
Over time, faster response cycles reduce repeated issues and stabilise guest
perception.
Food and beverage operations continue their transition from fixed outlets
to a journey-based layer that follows the guest across spaces and moments.
Mobile ordering, flexible fulfilment, and integrated payment support this
shift, with emphasis placed on guest flow rather than technology visibility.
Finally, benchmarking practices evolve. Rather than explaining past
performance, benchmarks in 2026 are increasingly used to anticipate operational
risk. By combining satisfaction data, sentiment signals, and operational
metrics, hotels aim to identify early indicators and stabilise performance
before issues escalate.
Tags: Shiji